Obituaries

East Teacher, Coach Charlie Musumeci Loses Battle with Cancer

Musumeci, 58, died this weekend after a two-year fight against adrenal cancer.

Longtime Cherry Hill East staff member and softball coach Charles “Moose” Musumeci died this weekend after a two-year battle with adrenal cancer. He was 58.

Musumeci spent his 38-year career in Cherry Hill, where he was most recently testing coordinator for East, the same school he graduated in 1972.

Twenty-eight of those years were spent as the school’s softball coach, where Musumeci was a constant presence, even during chemotherapy.

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It was also through the softball team where Musumeci met his wife of 15 years, Cindy, in a rather unusual way—his left fielder (and eventual stepdaughter), Jackie Finkel, agreed to fill in as catcher as long as he agreed to a date with her mom, Musumeci told the Newark Star-Ledger last year.

Despite his fight against cancer, Musumeci said he had hoped to come back for a 29th season as coach, and only recently resigned, a move the school board OK’d in January.

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He wasn’t just a softball coach, though—Musumeci was involved in the theater program at East, and worked on the side in television, commercials and film since the ‘70s, eventually producing an independent film that saw its first screenings in 2012, Ain't Nobody Left Behind, a mockumentary about No Child Left Behind and education reform.

The film centers on a couple of novice directors—one based on Musumeci, the other on co-director Richard Reiner—and deals with a high school principal trying to score his school an award from the No Child Left Behind program, Musumeci told the Philadelphia Inquirer last year.

"He's trying to make the school look perfect, and everything he presents is fictitious," Musumeci told the Inquirer.

Musumeci’s dedication to East’s theater program was honored just two months ago, when students at the school dedicated the annual coffee house fundraiser to him, raising money for adrenal cancer research via the Millie Schembechler Fund.

The high school’s newspaper, Eastside, has run a series of tributes to Musumeci from students, who invariably wrote of the positive influence he had on their lives.

“Moose always knew how to make you feel included in the East community, even when you felt like you were just a nerdy theater kid,” wrote Shari Rosen, a 2010 graduate of East. “He was genuinely interested in what I was passionate about. He gave me opportunities to experiment on stage and made me feel comfortable, even if my attempts resulted in utter awkwardness and failure.

“I believe the most important lesson I learned from Moose was to not take myself too seriously and to take everything with a grain of salt.”

A first visitation is scheduled for Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Catholic Church of St. Mary, 2001 Springdale Rd.

A second visitation, also at St. Mary’s, is scheduled for Thursday from 9 to 11 a.m., followed immediately by a funeral service.

In lieu of flowers, Musumeci’s family has requested donations be made to the Charles Musumeci Cherry Hill East Scholarship Fund, 1750 Kresson Rd., Cherry Hill, NJ 08003.

Musumeci’s full obituary is below, and Murray-Paradee Funeral Home has set up an online tribute to him.

Charles Joseph "Moose" age 58 of Cherry Hill on March 9, 2013 after a long illness. Beloved husband of Cindy (nee Litchfield). Devoted father of Adam of Newbury Park, CA. and Jaclyn (Michael) Gambone of Glen Burnie, MD. Dear brother of Dr. Marilyn Musumeci and Jan Grantz, Tom (Kathy) Musumeci and John (Kathy) Musumeci. Also survived by 5 loving nieces and nephews and 3 great nieces. Charles was a teacher, coach and actor, he was employed by Cherry Hill Public Schools for 38 years, also a member of the Screen Actors Guild as well as Knights of Columbus Council #6173 of Cherry Hill. Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewing Wednesday 6-9 p.m. and Thursday 9-11 a.m. at The Catholic Church of St. Mary's, 2001 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill, followed by an 11 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial. Interment Private. The family requests in lieu of flowers donations to the "Charles Musumeci Cherry Hill East Scholarship Fund" 1750 Kresson Rd. Cherry Hill, NJ 08003.


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