Richard A. Yaffa ’54

Dick died Jan. 21, 2015.

Born in Boston, Mass., he was a graduate of New Rochelle (N.Y.) High School, where he played football and was named an All-American and Most Valuable Football Player of the Year.

At Princeton, he was a member of Tiger Inn and a starting member of the Top 10-ranked team in the backfield when Dick Kazmaier ’52 won the Heisman Trophy. A track star, he won gold, silver, and bronze medals at the Maccabiah Games in Israel. He also was a member of record-setting Penn Relay and Melrose Games relay teams, an avid tennis player, and nationally ranked in the seniors division by the U.S. Tennis Association. Dick was elected a member of the Westchester and the New Rochelle sports halls of fame.

After serving in the Army as a lieutenant, he graduated from Harvard Business School. As an entrepreneur, he founded Manhattan Products and Laundry Aids. He was president of the United Way of Westchester and of Congregation Emanu-El of Westchester. Dick founded the My Money Workshop Foundation, which was his most recent passion. He developed the curriculum, educating thousands of high school and college students on financial literacy.

The class extends its condolences to his wife, Claire; sons Richard and Robert; and three grandchildren.