Barry Henry Rizzo Sr., 94, of Little Silver, passed away Aug. 30, 2026, surrounded by his loving wife and children.
Barry is survived by his wife Linda Lott Rizzo; daughter Donna and son-in-law Erik Whalen of Brick; son Barry Rizzo Jr. and daughter-in-law Meredith of Toms River; grandchildren Ryan and Charles Whalen and Alexandra, Katelyn and Gabrielle Rizzo; sister-in-law Aimee Rizzo of Stuart, Florida; sister- and brother-in law Joanne and Bill Bowman; brother- and sister-in-law Lew and Sherry Lott; nieces Dana Mayer, Andrea Mayer Emrich and Rachel Jane Lott; nephews Eric Mayer, Geoffrey Bowman and Peter Bowman; and many great-grandnieces and nephews.
Born Nov. 3, 1931, in Jersey City, Barry graduated from Long Branch High School in 1949, received a BA from the University of North Carolina in 1953, and a master’s degree from Kean College of New Jersey in 1978. He served in the United States Navy from 1949 to 1953, and the United States Marine Corps from 1953 to 1961, on active and reserve duty, earning the rank of 1st lieutenant and receiving an honorable discharge in 1961.
Barry was hired by the Matawan Board of Education in 1955 as a teacher and coach. Over 38 years, he served as an elementary and high school teacher. In high school, he taught mathematics, science, health education and physical education and served as a department chair. He coached high school football, boys’ and girls’ track, boys’ cross-country, and boys’ tennis. He was appointed director of athletics and was a Shore Conference representative.
Barry’s teams won many New Jersey state and Shore Conference championships. In 1975, the Huskies football team was ranked No. 1 in New Jersey.
With support from the Matawan Regional School District Board of Education and the Shore Conference, Barry was responsible for establishing girls’ interscholastic sports (NJISAA) in New Jersey public high schools. Matawan Regional High School started with girls’ track and basketball teams, before expanding to include softball, tennis, gymnastics, field hockey, soccer and others.
During and after Barry’s teaching and coaching career, he was inducted into the New Jersey Football Hall of Fame, Shore Conference Football Hall of Fame, Ocean-Monmouth Counties Football Hall of Fame, Matawan Regional High School Hall of Fame, Long Branch High School Hall of Fame and the Matawan Football Alumni Foundation Hall of Fame. In 2000, the football stadium at Matawan Regional High School was named the Barry Rizzo Stadium.
A memorial visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10 at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St., Red Bank. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 325 Point Road, Little Silver.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. John’s Outreach Fund, 325 Point Road, Little Silver, NJ 07739 or the Matawan Football Alumni Foundation.
The article originally appeared in the September 3 – 9, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
