Obituary of Richard Carl Weiler

Richard Carl Weiler Teacher and Coach Richard C. Weiler, of Watchung, NJ, died Friday, September 5 at Morristown Memorial Hospital of a heart attack. Born in Egg Harbor City, NJ December 24, 1928, he was the son of the late Emil and Elsie Hahn Weiler. A Watchung resident for 45 years, he formerly lived in Fanwood. A graduate of Egg Harbor High School, Richard received a bachelors degree from Rutgers College, where he earned a varsity letter in lacrosse, in 1951 and a master of arts degree from New York University in 1957. He served in the United States Army from 1951 to 1952. Richard was an ordained deacon of the Fanwood Presbyterian Church, and is a member of Wilson Memorial Church, Watchung. He was a Little League coach and served as chief in the Watchung Indian Guides. His past professional organizations included Eastern Interscholastic Swimming Association official, chairman of Union County Swimming Association, commissioner of Interstate Lacrosse Conference, NJ Coaches Association. He began his teaching career of 41 years at Hotchkiss School, Lakeville CT as an assistant athletic director. For 40 years he taught history and was varsity coach of the swimming and lacrosse teams at Pingry School, Martinsville, NJ where his teams compiled impressive records season after season. Many of his students played on varsity teams in college, and three lacrosse players were named All-American. Richard was instrumental in establishing lacrosse at Pingry where he had eight consecutive winning seasons, six consecutive Interstate Lacrosse League championships and seven consecutive Rutgers Trophies. In his honor, Pingry established the annual Richard C. Weiler Lacrosse Award in 1973. As coach of the swim team for 12 years, he achieved a winning record every year, and was victorious in the Union County Interscholastic Swimming Meet and Triangular Meet. Because of his commitment to Pingry sports, on May 16, 2008, the school honored Richard by inducting him into the Athletic Hall of Fame where two of his lacrosse and swimming teams have also been enshrined. In addition to his wife, Jean Thompson Weiler, to whom he was married 54 years, he is survived by his daughter Dr. Jeanne Weiler, Tenafly, NJ; two sons Richard C. Weiler, Jr., Lebanon Township, NJ, and Timothy G. Weiler, Califon, NJ; five grandchildren, Ruby Jean Choonoo, Jeffrey Weiler Choonoo, Peter Reed Weiler, Ann Bailey Weiler and Oona Grace Weiler; also a brother Emil Weiler. His sisters, Rose Weiler Henkelman and Ruth Weiler Haynes predeceased him. A memorial service to honor his life will be held on Wednesday, September 10 at Wilson Memorial Church, Watchung, NJ at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Mid-Jersey Chapter, P.O. Box F, Belmar, NJ 07719-0220, or The Fresh Air Fund 633 Third Avenue 14th Floor, New York, NY 10164-3981 would be lovely.