Passaic Tech’s Loverdi remembered as kind, selfless family man, teacher and coach

LITTLE FALLS — The positive impact Jim Loverdi had on so many lives was very evident Tuesday night.

The line for the late Passaic Tech baseball coach’s viewing at Gaita Memorial Home was so long, it extended through two rooms inside the building, outside the door, down the sidewalk and into the parking lot.

It was touching to see how much those he coached, taught and befriended at Passaic Tech cared for Loverdi, yet heartbreaking to see his widow, Tammi, three children — Jessica, Jamie and Jake — and the rest of his family in so much pain.

Those that’d like to pay their respects can do so Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. at Gaita Memorial Home, located at 154 Newark Pompton Turnpike in Little Falls. His funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday at St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church, located at 29 Weaver Street in Little Falls.

Loverdi, 44, died suddenly Thursday while vacationing with his family in Florida.

The lifelong Little Falls resident, who was a baseball and football standout at Passaic Valley, recently completed his third season as Passaic Tech’s head baseball coach.

The well-liked Loverdi was named the Big North Liberty Division’s “Coach of the Year” for a second straight season, after Passaic Tech went 13-12 this past spring. In 2012, Loverdi led the Bulldogs to a tremendous turnaround, from a 5-16 squad in 2011, into a 19-8 team.

Loverdi also was the defensive coordinator for the Passaic Tech football team and coached the Wayne school’s freshmen boys basketball team. Away from the fields and the court, he taught physical education, health and driver’s education at Passaic Tech.

Here’s a link to staff writer Jay Levin’s story on Loverdi, which appeared in today’s editions of The Record and Herald News: http://www.northjersey.com/obituaries/217518591_Jim_Loverdi__award-winning_baseball_coach_at_Passaic_Tech.html

Here’s what others have said about Loverdi, who played baseball at Ferrum (Va.) College and Rowan University:

Matt Demarest (Passaic County Tech’s head football coach; teaching colleague; friend):

“It’s hard to find anybody that didn’t have a kind thing or funny thing to say about Jimmy because of the type of guy he was. He never put himself in front of anybody. He was always taking care of other people first. He was the most unselfish and giving person I’ve ever met in my life.”

“Jimmy had a special character. He has impacted a lot of people’s lives. There were a lot of positive things written about him on social media once people started finding out [about his death]. It’s a testament to who he was, how he did things. He’s going to be missed by a lot of us. He was a big part of our lives, a big part of our families’ lives. We did a lot of things together with our kids. He’s going to be missed. He was a great one.”

Mike Boorman (Passaic County Tech’s head varsity basketball coach; teaching colleague; friend):

“Loyalty and character issues were the things he preached to kids more than anything. They’re going to get somebody to take his class schedule. And they’re going to get coaches to replace his spots on all three staffs [within Passaic Tech’s baseball, basketball and football programs]. But they’re not going to be able to replace him and how he was able to make kids understand certain things.”

Joe Jordan (head varsity baseball coach at West Milford High School; friend)

“Baseball aside, the first thing you think about him is what a great guy he was. He was always friendly and wanting to have conversations, getting to know the personal side of you. I don’t think you ran into anybody in our coaching circle who had a bad thing to say about Jimmy. It’s sad.”

“He was always a classy, gracious guy. And you could tell that his kids loved playing for him.”