Paul G. (“Coach B”) Bacsardi Jr. passed away on Saturday April 17, 2021, at his home in Chester. He was 76 years old.
Paul was born on July 1, 1944 in Passaic, New Jersey, the son of Paul and Rose Bacsardi.
Paul grew up in Garfield, New Jersey, where he attended Pope Pius High School. He graduated from Fordham University, majoring in English and received his Masters’ degree in English from Seton Hall University.
Paul started teaching English at Monroe-Woodbury High School in 1967, where he soon became known as Mr. B.
In the early 80’s, Mr. B. added “Coach B” to his resume when he started coaching club and intramural hockey teams comprised of M-W students, including his two sons.
In 1986, Coach B sought approval from the School Board to establish a varsity hockey team at Monroe-Woodbury, the first school to establish such a program in Section 9. The 1986-87 season was the first official year for M-W’s varsity program and the teams under Coach B continued to improve each year, culminating in a New York State Championship in 2007, with Coach B at the helm and his eldest son Paul as his assistant coach.
In 2013, Coach B retired from being behind the bench with a career record of 315 wins and 190 losses.
In 2014, Coach B was inducted into the New York State High School Hockey Hall of Fame.
Coach B also imparted his love of baseball to the M-W students, coaching the JV baseball team at M-W for many years, as well as volunteering his time coaching Little League baseball in Monroe, including many Little League all-star teams.
Coach B founded and coached a Monroe American Legion baseball team, and also coached a rookie ball team in Monroe.
Coach B spent his retirement years with his loving wife Kathy, gardening, beekeeping, cooking and raising Bella, their Golden Retriever.
Paul is survived by his wife of 53 years, Kathy; his son Paul and his wife Erica of Monroe and his son Matthew and his wife Shari of East Burke, Veremont. He is also survived by his grandchildren Madelyn, Max and Charlotte.
Memorial contributions may be made to United Hospice at unitedhospiceinc.org, or the John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center (https://www.hackensackumc.org/donate/ways-to-give/make-a-donation/).
The Bacsardi family would also like to extend their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Lissette and Suzanne of United Hospice for their compassionate care.
Funeral arrangements and cremation care have been entrusted to Thomas F. and Brendan T. Flynn and the staff of Flynn Funeral & Cremation Memorial Centers, Inc.