lit a candle 16h agoMy dad ran a middle school for almost thirty years and had this beat up copy of Law and Education sitting on his desk the entire time, spine held together with tape. Called Richard Bosher's book more than any actual lawyer he knew. He texted me the news this morning, just said "the professor died" like I'd know exactly who he meant. And I did.
Their story
Dr. Richard Salvatore Vacca was an American educator and scholar of school law who spent decades on the faculty of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, where he later became professor emeritus of education and a senior fellow at the Commonwealth Educational Policy Institute. Within education circles he was widely known…
Dr. Richard Salvatore Vacca was an American educator and scholar of school law who spent decades on the faculty of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, where he later became professor emeritus of education and a senior fellow at the Commonwealth Educational Policy Institute. Within education circles he was widely known for co-authoring Law and Education: Contemporary Issues and Court Decisions with William C. Bosher Jr., a text that went through multiple editions and helped administrators, teachers and school boards apply constitutional and case law to everyday school practice.
Vacca's family life was closely tied to the Richmond area. He married Nancy Turner Vacca, a nurse and educator, and the couple shared a 62-year marriage until Nancy's death in May 2023. They raised three children and built a large extended family of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Relatives remembered him as an intelligent, hardworking and faith-filled man, the patriarch of his family, known for quick wit, a love of history, and a gift for storytelling. He was also a passionate advocate for youth who devoted much of his professional life to teaching, mentoring and encouraging others.
Away from campus he remained a steady presence at home. After Nancy's death the family later thanked a caregiver, Cherrish, for the kindness she showed him in his final years. Professionally, his writing and teaching aimed at practitioners as much as legal scholars, covering student rights, personnel matters, special education and accountability questions that shape school life.
Dr. Richard Salvatore Vacca died peacefully at his home in Midlothian, Virginia, on September 2, 2026, at the age of 89. He was preceded in death by his wife Nancy. He is survived by children Dr. Richard S. Vacca (Diane), Lynn Vacca Dillingham (Dean) and Dr. John J. Vacca; ten grandchildren including Joseph Vacca (Kara), Dr. William Vacca (Chelsea), Austin Dillingham, Dr. Dominic Vacca, Luciano Vacca (Alyssa), Ryan Vacca, MadeLynn Dillingham, Alexandra Dillingham, John Vacca and Olivia Dillingham; and three great-grandchildren, Sterling, Jack and Miller Vacca.
A Funeral Mass was set for Thursday, September 24, 2026, at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church, 2700 Dolfield Drive, North Chesterfield, Virginia, with friends received at 11:00 a.m. and Mass at 12:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family asked for donations to the Bon Secours Community Hospice House. Arrangements were associated with Affinity Funeral Service and an obituary published by the Richmond Times-Dispatch via Legacy.com. Public records list his birth year as 1937; an exact birth date was not stated in the published notice.
Biography adapted from Obituary published by the Richmond Times-Dispatch via Legacy.com (id 62497402); Commonwealth Educational Policy Institute / VCU faculty records; ASCD author profile.
In their own words
“Above all, he was the true patriarch of his family, a steady, loving presence who led with strength, kindness, and compassion.”
Photos
1Dr. Richard Salvatore Vacca
by People Forever
that's a hell of a way to be remembered honestly