Robert P. Rizzo, Jr., well-respected Paratransit expert for the MBTA, died suddenly on Feb. 17 at his home in Marshfield, MA. He was 60. Beloved husband of Marylou Dargin Rizzo. Loving father of Gina Rizzo, Jodi Ward, Michael Rizzo and Paul Rizzo, all of Marshfield. Grandfather of Angelina Rosales. Brother of Cathleen Charest of Raynham.
Born in Boston, Robert was a resident of South Boston before moving to Marshfield 32 years ago. A graduate from BC High School and Boston State College, his career in transportation unexpectedly started due in part to Judge Garrity in 1974. Bob was reassigned from his quiet Civics and History classroom to the Boston Public School’s Superintendent’s Desegregation Implementation Team as a Transportation Supervisor and eventually became the Assistant Director of School Transportation, serving through 1987. Bob left the school system and joined the T in 1987 as Supervisor of THE RIDE program. He was subsequently promoted to Assistant Manager in 1994 then to Manager of Paratransit Contract Operations in 2000. Serving as a National Transit Institute panel member, Bob’s counsel was sought by his peers nationwide, including the government sector in Washington which tapped him to serve on the TCRP panel.
Bob was a Eucharistic Minister and active member of Saint Ann By The Sea Parish, where the Funeral Mass will be held at 11 am on Monday (591 Ocean St., Marshfield). At 10 am, the Funeral Mass procession will depart from MacDonald Funeral Home, located at 1755 Ocean St. (Rte. 139), Marshfield.
Visiting hours are Sunday from 2 to 6 pm.
Interment will be in the Couch Cemetery, Marshfield.
Contributions in Robert’s memory may be made to Massachusetts Citizens For Life (www.masscitizensforlife.org), Schraft Center, 529 Main St., Boston, MA 02129 and the American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org), 1 Union St., #301, Robbinsville, NJ 08691.
He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, co-workers and THE RIDE community at large.