Obituary of Richard B Fahey

Richard "Dick" Bernard Fahey of Bernardsville, NJ passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, May 27, 2014. He was 79 years old, but maintained a boyish enthusiasm and zest for life until his passing. Dick was born in Orange, NJ on March 28, 1935 to the late Robert E. Fahey and Dorothy Marie Fahey (nee Kent). He grew up in West Orange with his four brothers. As expected in a house with five boys, Dick had an exuberant childhood, earning the nickname "Rip" for his adventures and antics involving the nuns of Our Lady of Lourdes grade school. He graduated West Orange High School in 1953. Dick served in the 102D Cavalry "ESSEX TROOP" NJARNG in the 1950s. After marrying Angela in 1963, they moved to the Somerset Hills area in 1965 and lived in Bernardsville for the last 36 years. He had a long and successful sales career in waste management and recycling. Dick established a second career in real estate working alongside his wife Angela and his daughter Carolyn in their residential real estate company Fahey Realtors. Clients always remarked how Dick made them feel comfortable and treated them like family. He was active in the local community, serving as a founding member and past president of the Somerset Hills YMCA and a parish councilman of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Bernardsville. A former caddy and accomplished golfer, Dick was a member at Roxiticus Golf Club for 34 years and the Kiawah Island Club in Kiawah Island, South Carolina, and loved passing his passion for the game on to his daughters and grandsons. Dick was loved and respected by all he touched and had an amazing ability to make people smile and instantly befriend complete strangers. Dick devoted his life to his family and his greatest achievement was being a loving husband, father and grandfather. Throughout the years, Dick never missed the opportunity to support his daughters and grandsons in school and sporting events and spent every day teaching them the importance of enjoying life and the power of love and encouragement. Dick is survived by his cherished wife of 50 years, Angela; his four beloved daughters, Rosalind and her husband Kevin, daughter Michelle and her husband James, daughter Carolyn and daughter Ashley; his five adored grandsons, Devin, Taylor, Matthew, Connor and Ryan; his three surviving brothers, Robert, Ronald and Gregory; and numerous nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends are invited to attend visitation at Gallaway and Crane Funeral Home in Basking Ridge on Tuesday, June 3rd from 4-7pm. A funeral mass will be held at 10am on Wednesday, June 4th at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Bernardsville. A life celebration will immediately follow at Roxiticus Golf Club in Mendham. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the NJSGA Caddie Scholarship Foundation-Richard B. Fahey Memorial scholarship, to benefit a deserving young caddy pursuing a higher education (c/o Carolyn Fahey, 61 Claremont Road, Bernardsville, NJ 07924).