Richard A. Ferdinand

Richard “Dick” A. Ferdinand, 80, of Old Tappan, NJ, passed suddenly on Wednesday, May 29th, 2024. Beloved husband of Kathryn E. Ferdinand (Johnson). Devoted father of Timothy, Alexander, and Wynne Ellen. Dear brother of Jon and Jane. Loving grandfather of Rowan Ellen, uncle to six, and future father-in-law to Rachel A. Gilbert. Born in Jersey City to Albert and Catherine Ferdinand (McGuinness), he was raised in Ridgewood, and lived in Old Tappan for the last 30 years. From his youth, he was an avid saltwater sport fisherman of the Eastern Seaboard from Florida to Maine, but his preferred local spot was the south side of the Piermont, NY pier. He served in the U.S. Army as a Combat Engineer in the Radiological, Chemical and Biological Warfare Unit during the Armed Forces Expeditionary Campaign in the Dominican Republic. Dick was a polymath whose Jesuit education included St. Peter’s Prep, Georgetown Prep, College of the Holy Cross, and Fordham University. His broad intellectual interests permitted him to pursue endeavors in varied industries, including technology, healthcare, and finance. After supporting his family’s construction business, he entered the field of commodity trading and worked for several Wall Street firms. In later years, he was a principal in international technology and communications companies, and, as an entrepreneur and inventor, he registered twelve patents with the U.S. Patent Office and one with the World International Patent Organization. His brilliance was equally matched by his integrity, quick wit, and great generosity and kindness to family, friends, and strangers. The family will receive their relatives and friends on Monday, June 3rd from 4:00—8:00 pm at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, NJ. A celebration of Dick's life will be held later this summer.