Funeral services were held in Our Lady of Peace Church, North Brunswick, Feb. 5 for the Honorable Richard S. Rebeck who died Jan. 31 at age 90.
Mr. Rebeck was the brother of Msgr. Eugene Rebeck, a retired priest of the Trenton Diocese.
Born and raised in Perth Amboy, Mr. Rebeck graduated from St. Mary High School and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was honorably discharged as a staff sergeant in 1957. With funds from the GI Bill, he earned a bachelor of arts degree from Seton Hall University, South Orange, graduating with honors in 1959. He attended Georgetown University Law School on a full scholarship, serving as editor-in-chief of the Georgetown Law Journal and earning a juris doctor degree in 1962.
Mr. Rebeck began his law career as a law clerk to the Honorable C. Thomas Schettino, associate justice of the N.J. Supreme Court in Trenton. He then worked for two additional law firms in Perth Amboy and Woodbridge.
As Middlesex County Prosecutor from 1978 to 1983, he made a number of significant contributions to the state criminal justice system, including establishing the Hostage Recovery Unit and Arson Task Force. In 1983 he was appointed judge in the Superior Court of New Jersey, presiding in Middlesex County in the Civil and Family divisions. He retired in 2000 and later served two years on recall from 2011 to 2013.
Mr. Rebeck was a member of the Bar of the State of New Jersey, the U.S. District Court and U.S. Supreme Court. He was a member of the Middlesex County Bar Association and the National District Attorney’s Association. He served as past president of the N.J. County Prosecutors Association and on a number of Supreme Court and Judicial Committees.
In addition to his membership in Our Lady of Peace Parish, he was a Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre and served on the Diocesan Review Board for the Metuchen Diocese until age 89.
In addition to Msgr. Rebeck, Mr. Rebeck was survived by his wife, Arlene Santolli Rebeck; four daughters and their spouses, and seven grandchildren.
Burial was in St. Gertrude Cemetery, Colonia. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at stjude.org.