Richard C. Calabrese, 74, was born on June 25, 1951, and passed away on Saturday, December 13, 2025. He resided in his beloved home of 40 years in North Howell, New Jersey, a place he cared for and cherished as the heart of his family’s life.

Richard was a devoted husband to his wife, Lisa, with whom he shared 42 years of marriage. He was a proud and loving father to his three children, Elizabeth, Jeffrey, and Lauren, and daughter-in-law, Jena, for whom he would—and did—do absolutely anything for. Being a dad and “second dad” was one of the greatest joys of his life. He never let distance, time, or exhaustion stop him from being there. Whether it was a baseball field or a recital stage, he was always in the crowd — proud, present, and cheering them on. He was their coach in sports and in life, even in his final days.

His heart grew even fuller with the arrival of his three beautiful granddaughters, Ava, Lila, and Sophia, who lovingly called him “PiPa.” He happily took on the role of prince in all of their make-believe princess parties, never hesitating to join in their imagination and fun. Those moments of play, laughter, and pure love will be cherished memories for his family forever.

Born to Delores and Eugene Calabrese, Richard grew up in Levittown, Long Island, as the eldest of eight brothers. The bond they shared and the stories from their childhood together remained an important part of his life.

Richard was a true renaissance man, with many passions before his family ultimately became his greatest joy and highest priority. He was educated at C.W. Post on Long Island and later attended the Manhattan School of Music, where he was honored with the opportunity to serve as the head conductor for his graduating class. A gifted musician, he played many instruments, with the piano as his main love. When his children were young, he filled the house with the music of Chopin, Bach, and Beethoven. 

Always curious and creative, Richard also took courses at both Pratt Institute and Parsons School of Design, nurturing a lifelong passion for art and design. He had an eye for beauty, history, and craftsmanship, which showed in the way he collected, appreciated, and surrounded himself with meaningful pieces. He took great pride in his home, affectionately known as “Club Calabrese,” always going above and beyond to decorate it from head to toe for every holiday—especially Christmas. He collected books and artifacts from his work projects, and his office was a shrine to his life, with photos of his family from start to finish, floor to ceiling.

Richard had an exciting and successful career as a general contractor and commercial and residential builder. He took great pride in his work and left his mark on many well-known projects, including The Monkey Bar, The Lowell Hotel, Planet Hollywood in Times Square, The El San Juan lobby  and El Conquistador in Puerto Rico, The Strip House and The South Street Seaport. Over the course of his career, he worked closely with renowned architects, restaurateurs, well-known chefs, including David Rockwell and The Glazer Group, collaborating to bring their visions to life. For ten years, Richard and his wife Lisa also owned and operated The Quay, a restaurant in Sea Bright, New Jersey. His most recent project, The Falls at New Hope, was especially meaningful to him; he poured his blood, sweat, and tears into bringing it to life, a true reflection of his dedication, craftsmanship, and vision.

Richie beat to his own drum and was the life of the party. He loved being outside, laying in the sun—whether on the beach or in his backyard—always with minimal to no sunblock and his Ray-Bans on. You would never see Richie without his Gucci loafers, whether he was at a construction site or at a family or friends’ gathering—his style was as unmistakable as his personality. He was also an avid surfer and spent much of his childhood summers riding the waves at Ditch Plains in Montauk and traveling around the world to find the best surf. The ocean became a lifelong source of joy and peace for him. In later years, he turned Montauk into a beloved summer vacation spot with his wife, children, and eventually his grandchildren, creating new generations of memories in a place that had always felt like home to him.

For the last eight years, the family took an annual December trip to Newport, Rhode Island. Even in his weakest moments, Richard was determined to be there. Just last week, he made it for one final family trip, a testament to his unwavering love for his family and his determination to savor every moment with them.

Richard faced a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Although this illness did not ultimately take his life, it revealed the depth of his strength, bravery, and determination. He met every challenge with quiet resilience and refused to let his diagnosis define him.

In addition to his wife, children, daughter-in-law, and granddaughters, Richard is survived by his brothers, Bob Calabrese (pre-deceased Denise), Scott Calabrese (Leanne), Jim Calabrese, Peter Calabrese (Donna), Thomas Calabrese (Deneen), Jerry Calabrese (Tina), Matthew Calabrese (Gina), sister-in-law MaryAnn Becker (Victor) and sister-in-law Sondra Fabozzi (Fredrick). He was also considered the “fun uncle” to 20 nieces and nephews, their spouses and many extended family members who he cherished and loved dearly. 

Richard will be remembered for his courage, his deep love for his family, his creativity and devotion to his craft, his appreciation for art, beauty, and home, and the gentle, steady way he showed up for the people he loved. A true legend in the eyes of the many lives that he touched.  A Visitation will be offered on Monday, December 22nd from 4PM-7PM at the Holmdel Funeral Home, 26 S Holmdel Rd, Holmdel NJ 07733. A mass will be held on Tuesday, December 23rd at 10:30AM at the Church of St. Catharine, 108 Middletown Rd, Holmdel NJ 07733.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to: https://www.preventchildabusenj.org/donate/make-a-donation/