Richard Moriarty, Former Glen Ridge School Board Member, Dies at 68 in Sparta Summer Home

Richard D. Moriarty died on Oct. 30 at his family's vacation home in Sparta. He was 68 years old, according to a notice on the website of Goble Funeral Home.

The Jersey City native attended St. Bridget's School until 1958, graduated St. Peter's Prep in 1962, and graduated St. Peter's College in 1966. In 1964, he married Edna Claire Weihe; they raised their 6 children in Glen Ridge and spent their summers at Lake Mohawk in Sparta. 

Moriarty began working at Arthur Andersen in 1966 and was a tax partner from 1978 to 2002. Upon retirement, he became a co-owner of Resource NJ, a commercial flooring company.

He was also an educator, teaching accounting at Jersey City State College from 1969 to 1975. He served on the board at Bergen Center for Child Development  for eight years, five of them as president. From 1982 to 1989 he sat on the Glen Ridge Board of Education, serving as president for three years. His family said Moriarty enjoyed delivering diplomas at the high school graduations of his children, grandchildren and friends. 

One of his accomplishments was starting the first public pre-kindergarten for four-year-olds in New Jersey and a full day kindergarten at Forest Avenue School and Linden Avenue School in Glen Ridge.

He was a member at Sparta United Methodist Church for over 20 years, served as president of the board of trustees and volunteered on many committees. 

The ardent family man loved to play golf, softball, basketball, tennis, snow ski and water ski and enjoyed playing poker, traveling abroad, dancing and magic tricks. 
His favorite vacation spot was Rum Point on Cayman Island where he loved to scuba dive, swim with stingrays, eat Captain Marvin's famous fresh marinated conch and watch sunsets with his family.

Moriarty is survived by his wife, his children Richard, Susan, Mimi, Brendian, Katie, and Craig and his 14 grandchildren.  

A private memorial service will be held under the direction of the Goble Funeral Home at Sparta United Methodist Church. A day of celebration was held at the Lake Mohawk Golf Club last Sunday.