Richard Michael Torraca, II

Richard Michael Torraca II, of Milltown, passed away suddenly at home on Tuesday, September 15, 2020. He was 42.

Born in New Brunswick, he lived most of his life in Milltown. He was in the Boy Scouts Troop 33 and served as an altar boy at Our Lady of Lourdes in Milltown. Rich graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in political science.

Rich was very proud of his time working for US Senator Frank Lautenberg from 2003 – 2010. He previously had worked for Congressman Frank Pallone and the Somerset County Democratic Committee.

Most recently Rich had worked for the New York Law School and Princeton University. He also worked for Muscle Mill in Milltown and Milltown Pharmacy.

An outdoorsman, Rich felt closest to the Lord while hiking, fly fishing, kayaking and mountain climbing. He was very spiritual and was very caring. He loved being engaged with the community and you could always find him volunteering and helping the needy in any way he could. Rich felt comfort with his brothers and sisters at Renovation House in NY State. He enjoyed travel and could never have enough time outdoors. He was an avid reader and very knowledgeable on all topics.

He's predeceased by his grandparents, Roberta and Michael Chirico and Evelyn Torraca; his aunt and uncle Erna and Robert Chirico and his cousin Jennifer Chirico.

Surviving are his parents Richard M. and Michele (Chirico) Torraca, Sr. of Milltown; his sisters Alicia and her husband Jesse Gamble of Monroe Twp., Erika Torraca and her fiancé Akshay Bhatia of NYC, and Larissa and her husband Matthew Minchello of Manalapan; his "special older sister" Elena Iadevaia of East Brunswick; his grandfather Nicholas R. Torraca of Easton, MD; his nephews and niece, godsons Mason and Noah, Ezra and Emma; his aunts and uncles, godparents Kathy and Lenny Szot of Kinzers, PA, Elsie and Frank Chirico of Milltown, Margaret Benjamin of Marlboro, MA, and Kathy and Doug Butler of Verona, NJ; and several cousins.

Friends and relatives may call on Sunday, September 20th, from 2:00 – 6:00 pm at The Crabiel Home for Funerals, 170 N Main St.-at Riva Avenue, Milltown. A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday at 10:00 am, at St. Bartholomew RC Church, Ryders Lane, East Brunswick. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Burial Park in East Brunswick. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made either to Renovation House, www.renovationhouse.org or St. Jude's Children Hospital, www.stjude.org You may sign the online condolence "guestbook" at www.crabiel.com