The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Passaic, New Jersey. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Passaic, New Jersey.
Rita Deanin Abbey (1930–2021), multidisciplinary abstract artist who was among the first art professors at the University of Nevada, Las VegasPrzybys, John. "Artist and longtime UNLV professor Rita Deanin Abbey dies",Las Vegas Review-Journal, March 29, 2021. Accessed December 26, 2022. "Abbey was born in Passaic, New Jersey, to Russian and Polish Jewish immigrants Joseph and Frieda Deanin." Mitch Albom (born 1958), sports journalist and author of Tuesdays With MorrieMeet the Writers: Mitch Albom, Barnes & Noble. Accessed December 19, 2006. Brant Alyea (1940–2024), former MLB outfielder; played with four different teams 1965–1972; one of nine players to hit a home run on his first MLB pitchO'Reilly, Charlie. Brant Alyea, Society for American Baseball Research. Accessed October 29, 2017. "Garrabrant Ryerson Alyea IV, a free-swinging right-handed batter and one of just nine players to hit a home run on the first pitch he saw in the major leagues, was born on December 8, 1940, in Passaic, New Jersey, to a family of Dutch heritage that had been in the northern New Jersey area since the 17th century. Ronnie Ash (born 1988), track and field athlete specializing in hurdles who was selected as part of the U.S. team at the 2016 Summer Olympics, United States Olympic Committee. Accessed August 10, 2016. "Birthplace: Passaic, N.J.; Hometown: Passaic, N.J." John Barbata (born 1945), drummer for The TurtlesTamarkin, Jeff. Got a revolution!: the turbulent flight of Jefferson Airplane, p. 253. Simon & Schuster, 2003. . Accessed August 28, 2011. "Born in Passaic, New Jersey, in 1945, Barbata had been the drummer for the Turtles, the enormously successful folk/pop-rock group whose many hits included the classic 'Happy Together.'" William J. Bate (1934–2011), politician who served as a state senator, assemblyman, and judge"Obituary: William J. Bate", The Star-Ledger, February 4, 2011. Accessed September 16, 2015. "Born in Passaic, N.J., Bill was a lifelong Clifton resident. Joan Berger (1933–2021), former infielder and outfielder, played 1951–1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball LeagueJoan Berger, NJSports.com. Accessed June 25, 2022. "Joan Berger was born October 9, 1933 in Passaic." Peg Blitch (1934–2021), politician who served in the Georgia House of Representatives and Georgia State Senate"Margaret H. Blitch", The Valdosta Daily Times, February 11, 2021. Accessed May 5, 2022. "Peg was born July 28, 1934 in Passaic, New Jersey, she was the daughter of Francis Hyacinth Herold and Marian Alda Burrows." Ernest Blood (1872–1955), high school and college men's basketball coach who was best known for his "Wonder Teams" at Passaic High School, which lost only one game in the span of a decade and set an American high school record for most consecutive victoriesStaff. "Ernest A. Blood, Veteran Coach, 82 Mentor of Passaic, N. J., High Basketball Team That Won 159 Games in Row Is Dead", The New York Times, February 7, 1955. Accessed August 22, 2018. "Mr. Blood played the game in the days when peach baskets were used as goals. He had coached until his retirement four years ago. He moved here from Passaic, N. J." Warren Bogle (born 1946), former Major League Baseball pitcher, appeared in 16 games, played for the Oakland Athletics during the 1968 seasonWarren Bogle, Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed May 10, 2015. Terrence Boyle (born 1945), judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina"Class Of 1970 Profile On Alumni – The Honorable Terrence Boyle" Reunion Times, American University Washington College of Law, Summer 2005. Accessed May 13, 2007. "Terrence Boyle was born and raised in Passaic, New Jersey." George Breeman (1880–1937), sailor and Medal of Honor recipientA site dedicated to George Breeman and the USS Breeman (DE-104), accessed December 19, 2006. Herbert Brucker (1898–1977), journalist, teacher, national advocate for the freedom of the press, editor-in-chief of the Hartford CourantStaff. "Aide Named for Ackerman", Columbia Spectator, Volume LV, Number 62, January 6, 1932. Accessed November 6, 2017. "Mr. Brucker, who has traveled extensively in Europe and served on the staffs of several papers and magazines in this country, is a native of Passaic, N. J., where he was born Oct. 4, 1898. He prepared for college at the Morristown School and the East Orange High School." Bob Butterworth (born 1942), former Florida attorney general"Florida attorney general winds up in spotlight" , Court TV, November 14, 2000. Accessed May 13, 2007. "A native of Passaic, N.J., Butterworth was particularly invincible in his 1998 re-election effort after playing a key role with former Gov. Lawton Chiles in helping Florida secure a $13 billion settlement with tobacco companies." Jim Castiglia (1918–2007), football fullback, played in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia EaglesPlayers Jim Castiglia, NFL.com. Accessed May 10, 2015. Arthur K. Cebrowski (1942–2005), United States Navy admiral and senior U.S. Department of Defense officialSinger, Jeremy. "Military Transformation Pioneer Arthur Cebrowski Dies at 63", Space News, November 21, 2005. Accessed May 13, 2007. "Cebrowski, a native of Passaic, N.J., graduated from Villanova University in Pennsylvania in 1964, and entered the Navy that same year." Morris Cerullo (1931–2020), Pentecostal televangelistSylvester, Ed. "Sale of El Cortez Hotel to Evangelist Group Imminent: Morris Cerullo Organization to Announce Today That It Is Buying 51-Year-Old Downtown Hostelry Sale Of Hotel", Los Angeles Times, June 16, 1978. Accessed September 19, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "Born of Italian-Jewish parentage and raised in the Orthodox Daughters of Miriam orphanage in Passaic, N.J...." Robert L. Clifford (1924–2014), associate justice of the New Jersey Supreme CourtJohnson, Brent. "Former N.J. Supreme Court Justice Robert Clifford dies at 89", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 1, 2014. Accessed September 16, 2015. "Clifford was born in Passaic in 1924 and served in the Navy during World War II." Alan N. Cohen (1930–2004), former co-owner of the Boston Celtics and the New Jersey Nets"Sports exec also had stake in Nets, MSG", ESPN.com, August 11, 2004. Accessed May 13, 2007. "Cohen was born in Passaic, N.J., on December 19, 1930." T. Zachary Cotler (born 1981), poet and novelist"Aspiring Poets Win $15 000 Scholarships", bar none group, September 2, 2011. Accessed May 10, 2015. "T. Zachary Cotler was born in Passaic, New Jersey." Howard Crook (born 1947), opera singer, tenorHoward Crook, bach-cantatas.com. Accessed September 16, 2015. Edwin Decena, music video and independent film directorAbout, Edwin Decena. Accessed May 10, 2015. "Born and raised in Passaic New Jersey, Edwin Decena was heavily influenced by hip hop culture." Warren Dean (1932–1994), historian of modern Latin America, specializing in Brazil"Warren Dean (1932-1994)", Hispanic American Historical Review, November 1, 1994. Accessed September 19, 2025. "Born in Passaic, New Jersey, he moved with his family to Miami in 1946." Mark DeRosa (born 1975), Major League Baseball infielderMark DeRosa player profile, Yahoo Sports. Accessed December 19, 2006. Beatie Deutsch (née Rabin; born 1989), ultra-Orthodox Jewish American-Israeli marathon runnerHalickman, Joshua. "Bracha 'Beatie' Deutsch is beating odds, running down the competition Since Deutsch’s first marathon she has run three more, one of which when she was seven months pregnant.", The Jerusalem Post, January 31, 2019. Accessed December 25, 2019. "'If I hadn’t begun running three years ago I would have never discovered that I had this gift and reach these huge goals,' Bracha 'Beatie' Deutsch, Israel’s running sensation exclaimed to The Jerusalem Post. The Passaic, New Jersey, native is in the midst of preparing for her fifth marathon, which will take place in Tel Aviv later in February." Joel Diamond, record producerBiography, Joel Diamond. Accessed October 2, 2016. "Joel was born and grew up in Passaic, NJ, and graduated from Rider College in Trenton, earning a BA Degree in business and psychology." Paul DiGaetano (born 1953), politician, served in the New Jersey General Assembly representing the 36th Legislative District 1992–2006 and 1986–1987Sullivan, Joseph F. "Passaic Mayor Pleads Not Guilty to Charges of Extortion", The New York Times, March 25, 1992. Accessed May 10, 2015. "Paul DiGaetano, who is president of the Passaic City Council and a member of the General Assembly, said Mr. Lipari should step down as mayor while he fights the charges against him." Dow H. Drukker (1872–1963), represented New Jersey's 6th congressional district 1914–1919Dow Henry Drukker, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed July 16, 2007. Evelyn Dubrow (1911–2006), lobbyist and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient"Garment Workers Lobbyist Dubrow Dies", San Francisco Chronicle, June 21, 2006. Ronald Durham, civil rights activist, pastor and ministerMa, Ken. "Pastor wasn't retired for long", Orlando Sentinel, February 25, 2006. Accessed October 10, 2024. "Before coming to Volusia County in 2003, Durham spent much of his life in New Jersey. He was born in a small town called Passaic and went to Passaic High School before moving to North Carolina to attend Shaw University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in theology in 1972." Peter Enns (born 1961), Bible scholarPete Enns, Ph.D., University of Colorado Boulder. Accessed April 8, 2013. Charles Evered (born 1964), playwrightStratton, Jean. "Playwright Charles Evered Enjoys Princeton's Community of Culture", Town Topics, November 8, 2006. Accessed November 1, 2008. Donald Fagen (born 1948), musician and co-founder of Steely DanRobbins, Ira. "At long last, Fagen puts the 'Cat' out; Steely Dan founder releases first solo album in 13 years", Newsday, March 1, 2006. Accessed September 8, 2007. ""Working in the off portions of Steely Dan's four decades of on-and-off-again existence, the Grammy-winning singer-keyboardist from Passaic, N.J., has come up with three albums in 24 years..." George Feifer (1934–2019), journalist, novelist, and historian, known for his autobiographical novels chronicling life in the Soviet UnionSmith, Harrison. "George Feifer, journalist and author who chronicled the Soviet Union, dies at 85", The Washington Post, November 18, 2019. Accessed January 6, 2022. "George Feifer was born in Paterson, N.J., on Sept. 8, 1934, and raised in Manhattan. His father owned a slipper factory, and after his parents divorced he lived with his mother in Passaic, N.J., where he was editor of his high school paper." Amod Field (born 1967), former wide receiver, played for the Phoenix Cardinals of the National Football LeagueAmod Field , profootballarchives.com. Accessed January 3, 2015. Jack Fina (1913–1970), pianist and orchestra leader known as "The ten most talented fingers on radio"Clarke, Donald. The Penguin encyclopedia of popular music, p. 841. Penguin Books, 1998. Accessed August 6, 2013. "instrumental 'Piano Concerto In B Flat' on Tchaikovsky's most famous tune featuring pianist Jack Fina (b 13 Aug. '13, Passaic NJ. d 14 May '70: formed own band '46. recorded for Mercury. MGM; also composer)." Dorothy Fuldheim (1893–1989), journalist and anchor best known for her work for The Cleveland Press and WEWS-TVSeifullah, Alan A. A.; and Strassmeyer, Mary. "Dorothy Fuldheim, TV news legend: Life Stories Revisited", Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 4, 1989. Accessed May 10, 2015. "She was born Dorothy Snell in Passaic, N.J. Her German-born father loved the English language and took the child to courthouses to hear lawyers speak."