Elmwood Park's Richard Mola, One Of The Longest-Serving Mayors In NJ, Dead At 80

Richard Mola, who served as Elmwood Park's mayor for 45 years and was the longest-serving mayor to still hold office in the state, died late Thursday.

Mola, 80, a Republican, was first elected to the mayorship in 1972. He died at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson after being rushed there Oct. 11, NorthJersey.com reported. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Mola also served as a Bergen County freeholder for 23 years. He taught history and was a football and baseball coach at Westwood High School and a guidance counselor at Ridgefield Park High School before retiring.

Former students and other colleagues of Mola's expressed sadness on social media after hearing of his death.

"He was my guidance counselor in high school he was a great guy, he would help you with anything you needed," user Diane Jensen said on Facebook. "He will be surely missed. R.I.P Mr. M."

"You will be missed by everyone," user Richard Hajeski also said on Facebook.

Mola was a member of the Elmwood Park Library Board, Planning Board, Republican Club, American Legion Post 147, Elks Lodge 60, St. Anne’s Catholic War Veterans, and the Bergen County Republican Mayors’ Association.

His many previous involvements included UNICO, West Central Bergen Mayor’s Association, and Bergen Community College Adult Learning Center Advisory Council.

Among his many honors, he was listed in the American Encyclopedia of Civic Government, was selected to the Kappa Delta Pi National Honor Society in Education, and was a charter member of the Montclair State University Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, professional education association.

He was inducted into the Bergen County Baseball Hall of Fame and in 2013 he and teammates of the 1959 William Paterson Baseball Team were inducted into the William Paterson University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Visiting will be at the Patrick J. Conte Funeral Home at 274 Market Street, Elmwood Park on Sunday 4 to 8 p.m. and Monday 1 to 8 p.m.

A funeral Mass is Tuesday at St. Leo’s R.C. Church in Elmwood Park at 9:30 a.m.; entombment will be at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus.

In lieu of Flowers donations in his memory may be made to the Elmwood Park Free Public Library.

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Photo: Richard J. Mola, 80, of Elmwood Park — Borough of Elmwood Park/Shutterstock image