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ELMWOOD PARK, N.J. -- Richard A. Mola, 80, of Elmwood Park, died Oct. 20.
He is survived by his wife, Geraldine (nee Badami); children, Stacy, Jill Ruth and her husband Kevin and Melissa Collesano and her husband Peter; and grandchildren, Devin, Julia, Peter Richard and Milana.
He was predeceased by his brother, Salvatore.
He was born Feb. 26, 1936. He was raised in Lodi and was a Lodi High School graduate and U.S. Army veteran.
Mola earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from William Paterson University and a Master of Arts Degree plus a second masters equivalency from Montclair State University.
He had a 39-year career in education that included being a Social Studies teacher and football and baseball coach at Westwood High School and guidance counselor at Ridgefield Park High School.
After retiring, he spent full-time on his government responsibilities. Among the longest-serving elected officials in the country, he was the 45-year mayor of the Borough of Elmwood Park and had also served as councilman for two years and Bergen County Freeholder for 23 years.
A Funeral Mass will take place at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Leo’s R.C. Church, 324 Market St., Elmwood Park. Entombment will be in George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus.
Visiting will be from 4-8 p.m. Sunday and 1-8 p.m. Monday at the Patrick J. Conte Funeral Home Inc., 274 Market St., Elmwood Park.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory for the Elmwood Park Free Public Library would be appreciated.
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