Obituary of Richard Martel

MARTEL, Richard J., 72, of Mahwah, died on Monday, March 7, 2011. Richard was born in Lewistown, ME, and has lived in Mahwah for 38 years. He graduated from Lewistown High School and RCA Institute of Engineering extension of Columbia University. Richard was in the US Army and served 3 years at the NIKE Missile Base in Franklin Lakes. Richard was the CFO/Secretary, Treasurer and Partner of Terraquip, Inc., an international government contractor in Teterboro for 41 years. Richard was the Mayor of Mahwah for 14 years. He was affiliated with IEEE - Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers, the Association of the U.S. Army and the Mahwah Regional Chamber of Commerce. He served as the President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Coach of the Mahwah Youth Sports Boosters where he was a member for 25 years; was a member of the Mahwah Recreation Committee, Mahwah Zoning Board of Adjustment, Mahwah Planning Board, Mahwah Housing Commission, Mahwah Township Council where he served as the Council President, Mahwah Library Board of Trustees, Board of Directors B-Med, Bergen League of Municipalities, Northwest Bergen Mayors Association where he was a past president, New Jersey League of Municipalities, New Jersey State League of Municipalities Legislative Committee on Pension Reform, New Jersey State League of Municipalities Conference Resolutions Committee, and the Ramapo College Cultural Arts Board of Overseers. Richard was recognized in 1995 as Mahwah "Volunteer of the Year", in 1996 by the Bergen Department of Parks with the "Distinguished Achievement Award", in 2001 by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Mahwah Lodge No. 1941 as "Citizen of the Year", in 2001 with the First Annual "United Way" Gold Award for Community Service, in 2004 by the Mahwah Schools Foundation with the "Honoree of the Year Award", and he was elected in 2007 as President of the Northwest Bergen Mayors' Association. Richard is survived by his wife Claudia of 47 years; his sons Daniel Martel and his fiancé Marianne of Mahwah, Kevin Martel and his wife Stephanie of Morganville and Brian Martel and his wife Reema of New Milford. He is also survived by 5 grandchildren; Sean, Molly, Connor, Ryan, and Alexa, his sister Louise Reynolds and her husband Bruce of Auburn, ME, and his brother Ronald Martel and his wife Madeleine of Lewistown, ME, 13 nieces and nephews, and 16 great nieces and nephews. He was also an avid Boston Red Sox and New York Giants fan! Visiting hours are Thursday and Friday 2 - 4 & 7 - 9 at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home (www.vpfh.com), 257 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff. Funeral Mass is Saturday, 11:00am at Immaculate Conception Church, 900 Darlington Avenue, Mahwah, NJ. Interment will be in the Maryrest Cemetery in Mahwah. Donations can be made to Mahwah Schools Foundation, P.O. Box 210, Mahwah, NJ 07430, or Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 811 W Evergreen Avenue Suite 303, Chicago, IL 60642.