Obituary of Albert Russell Van Riper III
Albert Russell “Al” Van Riper, III, of Montville, NJ, passed away on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. He was 71.
Born in Montville to Albert and Vivian Van Riper, Jr., Al was a lifelong resident of Montville. He grew up assisting his family on their farm, growing corn, tomatoes, and petunias. After graduating from Montville High School, he entered the family business, A.R. Van Riper, Jr., Inc, a school bus company founded by his father in 1963. From day one through retirement, Al was proud to continue his father’s legacy.
Some will remember Al as a maximalist. His idea of a perfect vacation was riding his motorcycle for three consecutive weeks, from sunrise to sunset, crashing at motels briefly overnight. He built “potato canons” with PVC pipe and hairspray to launch potatoes across the yard, hitting a bedsheet bullseye. He decked his home every Christmas with large rainbow bulbs, inside and out. He loved planes, hot rods, boats, jet skis, hunting, and hiking; he lived for thrills, adrenaline, speed, and excitement.
Others will remember Al as a faithful Christian. He was an active member of the Montville Reformed Church, and spent many hours hiking through the woods, building crosses out of tree branches, twigs, and palms. He believed in the connection between the spiritual and the natural worlds, and he savored time spent among trees, water, and open sky. He maintained a practice of reading the Bible with Marcia, whom he married earlier this year in a ceremony filled with God’s love.
Al was survived by his three beloved children, Rusty, Ashley, and Ali Van Riper; his sister, Melney Reich; his aunt, Charlene Mead; his nieces, Jessica Madeira and Lindsey Gebhart; and his devoted wife, Marcia Cerqueira Maciel.
Visitation will be held at Codey & Mackey Funeral Home of Boonton, on Friday, September 4, 2026, from 4:00-8:00 P.M. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at 11:00 A.M. in Montville Reformed Church, 9 Church Lane, Montville, with a burial and reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Al’s Memorial Fund at the Montville Reformed Church (see the second dropdown option at this link): https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/6294504.
To share condolences and memories with the family, please visit CodeyMackeyFH.com.