TOMS RIVER, NJ – To most who graduated from Toms River High School North, he was Mr. C, that cool teacher who didn’t really act like the other teachers. He made every student feel special somehow. He connected with them.
Raymond Cervino passed away on October 7th while surrounded by his family at the age of 78.
As a basketball coach for the Toms River High School North girls basketball team, he amassed a lifetime record of 313-212, with nine Shore Conference A-South titles, three sectional titles and a Group IV state championship in 2000.
He worked for the Toms River School District from 1971 through 2001. He is an inductee in the Toms River School District’s Hall of Fame.
You can read his obituary below:
Raymond Cervino, a renowned teacher, award-winning coach, and catchphrase extraordinaire, passed away while surrounded by his family on October 7th, 2022.
Ray, known to the lucky ones as Pop Pop or Uncle Duck, is survived by his beloved wife, Mary; beautiful children, Vicki, Nicole, and Adam; their respective spouses, Michael, Dave, and Heather; eight grandchildren, Emily, Ryan, Aidan, Katherine, Brady, River, Matthew, and Skye; sister, Lilla; in-laws, Joe and Rosemary Mossa, Victor and Cathy Mossa, and Al and Angela Escudero; and nieces and nephews, Paul, Tony, Aimee, Christopher, Dana, and Madelana.
Ray was born in Philadelphia on March 27th, 1944 to William and Dorothy Cervino. His younger years were full of baseball and plenty of shenanigans—he told his grandkids that his youth was comparable to that of John Travolta in the movie Grease. In his finals weeks, Ray even confessed that he spent a year of his young life as a college cheerleader—all in a bid to show girls how strong he was. After graduating from St. Joseph’s University, Ray set his sights on the most beautiful place on Earth: the Jersey Shore. On any given summer’s day, you could find Ray on a boardwalk, haggling tourists into playing a game with him.
When the weather turned cooler, Ray took to shaping the minds of reluctant youths as a U.S. History, Government, and World Civilization teacher at Toms River High School North. Students might remember him by one of his many iconic sayings—“it went the way of the rotary phone,” “I said yeah,” “oatmeal brain”—or even by his famed Jimmy Carter impression.
Ray’s contributions to posterity did not end as a teacher, though, as he was also a famed girls’ varsity basketball coach at North. Ray is a member of the NJSIAA Hall of Fame, boasted over 300 career wins, and coached the only Ocean County girls’ basketball team ever to make it to the Tournament of Champions Final. Ray was also inducted into the Toms River Regional School District Hall of Fame alongside his daughter, Nicole. Over the course of his career, Ray was named coach of the year countless times—a testament to the impact he left on his players’ and fellow coaches’ lives. Players might remember him by one of his many, oft frustrated sayings—“very unintelligent play,” “you are frosting my apricots,” “penetrate goddammit”—or by his most famed catchphrase: “Geez O Man.”
Though he had an iconic career, Ray had an even more iconic retirement. In his older years, he got to do what he loved most: spend long days with the love of his life, Mary. He was happiest during the days he spent with his “Mariooch”—his eyes would light up whenever she walked in the room. Ray and Mary were known for their youthful escapades, trips to their home in St. Augustine, and shag dancing. Ray and Mary also shared two beloved dogs, Nealie and Simon, who traveled everywhere with the duo. Long after Ray finished his time as a TRN head coach, he returned to the court to coach the Antrim Elementary School girl’s basketball team and his own grandkids, as well.
Everyone who had the honor of knowing Ray is asked to celebrate his life in their own way. Raising a glass of your favorite drink and bending the elbow in his memory would be quite appropriate.
Ray’s visitation will take place on Friday, October 14th from 4-7pm at O’Brien’s Funeral Home on 505 Burnt Tavern Road in Brick. A funeral mass is scheduled for 11am on Saturday, October 15th at St. Peter’s Church on 406 Forman Avenue in Point Pleasant Beach. Cremation will be handled privately.
In lieu of flowers, donations should be made in his name to Rescue Ridge, PO Box 223 Spring Lake, NJ 07762 or the Wounded Warrior Project, 370 7th Avenue, 3rd floor Room 320, NY, NY 10001