Ricardo D Echevarria

Richard died on a Tuesday morning in January, surrounded by his wife, two daughters, and son-in-law. He was adored and cared for deeply from birth to death. Ricardo de Jesus Echevarria Hernandez Castellano Martinez y Fernandez was born in Havana, Cuba, on the Sunday morning of October 30, 1955, to Maria "Cuca" Hernandez and Miguel Echevarria. As his family began to separate and take great risks to leave the country, Ricardo boarded a PanAm plane with his oldest brother, Miguelito, at 5 years old on August 31, 1961, carrying little more than the clothes he wore and a budding affinity for Coca-Cola. He stayed with his dear uncle Mariano as his family found their footing, beginning his American life shaped by Yankees baseball, Elvis Presley, lots of time listening to WABC radio and watching cartoons to perfect his English, and a deep love of reading, especially Louis L’Amour and Chip Hilton books. Known to many as "Eche," he attended St. Cecilia in Englewood, NJ through age 18. He briefly studied at a few universities before finding his way to Southeastern Louisiana University, where his joy, charm, and zest for fun left a lasting impression on his fraternity brothers of Delta Tau Delta, friends, and peers. A few years after graduating, he was introduced to Mary through his best friend Vera. In1981, they began a 44-year partnership rooted in love, laughter, and collaboration. Rich fulfilled his greatest dream when he became a father to his oldest daughter, Veronica. Three years later, he and Mary welcomed their younger daughter, Denise. Alongside fatherhood, he built a long career in pharmaceutical sales and management, where his warmth, humor, and uncanny ability to connect with people made him a natural leader and mentor. Rich carried a lifelong love of baseball, and treasured his little league years, often regaling with the many-times-told story of his home run at age 12 on Garrity Field. He read more than 140 books a year across many genres, loved to watch blue collar TV shows, romantic comedies, and Hallmark movies, organized his high school reunions, played a few poker games along the way, and maintained many friendships for decades. Once retired, Rich volunteered at a nearby NICU, where he would cradle and comfort babies in distress. He had a soulful voice, starting many mornings singing Broadway songs to whoever was nearby. He loved to cook and eat steak, platanos maduros, and homemade popcorn. He never lost his devotion to Elvis, the Yankees, and what eventually evolved into Coke Zero. Most of all, he delighted in being his grandchildren’s "Boompah," a role that brought him the purest joy he had ever known. He is survived by his wife, Mary; his daughters, Veronica Lee and Denise Elizabeth; his son-in-law, Oscar Salas; his grandchildren, Oscar Xander and Vida Linda; his brothers, Miguel and Manuel, sister Barbara Rodriguez, and a large, loving community of family and friends who will miss him deeply. Services will be held on Thursday, January 22, at Barrett Leber Funeral Home in Tenafly, NJ, from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm, and on Friday, January 23, at Saint Cecilia Church in Englewood, NJ, at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, consider donations to your local hospice or March of Dimes. You may also consider volunteering to care for babies at a local hospital or read a good book, preferably one with his favorite theme, time travel.

Ricardo D Echevarria

January 13, 2026