Honorable Alexander Paul Waugh, Jr.

Newtown PA: The Honorable Alexander Paul Waugh Jr., 75, passed away peacefully on January 12, 2026, at Pennswood Village in Newtown, PA.

Alex was born on February 19, 1950 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey to Alexander P. Waugh, Sr., and Jean Martin Waugh and raised in Verona and Morris Township, NJ. Alex earned a degree in European History from Columbia College, Columbia University in 1972, and a law degree from Rutgers, The State University, School of Law-Newark in 1975. After clerking for Chief Judge Lawrence A. Whipple, U.S.D.C., Alex joined the law firm of Riker, Danzig, Scherer & Debevoise before serving as Assistant Counsel to NJ Governor Brendan Byrne. He later became a partner in the Princeton law firm of Smith Stratton Wise Heher & Brennan, during which time he also served as Commissioner and later Vice Chair of the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission under appointments by Governors Byrne and Kean. Like his father Alexander P. Waugh Sr., much of Alex’s legal career focused on public service. In 1989 he left private practice to serve as Executive Assistant Attorney General, a senior member of the Office of the Attorney General of New Jersey, under four Attorneys General. During that time, as chair of the NJ 9-1-1 Advisory Commission, he was instrumental in the implementation of the 9-1-1 system.

Alex was appointed to the Superior Court of New Jersey in 1998, and had the honor and pleasure of being sworn in by his father, the Honorable Alexander P. Waugh Sr., who had been a judge of the Superior Court of NJ before he retired in 1972. Alex served as a trial judge in the Family, Civil, and General Equity parts. In 2008 he was appointed to the Appellate Division, New Jersey's intermediate appellate court. He retired in 2015.

Alex continued his Medieval history and theological studies throughout his life. He particularly enjoyed taking courses at Christ Church College at Oxford University. He and his wife, Barbara, traveled widely in Europe. Two of Alex's favorite places to visit were Florence, Italy and Salisbury, England. He also served on the Vestry and as senior warden of Trinity Episcopal Church in Princeton, NJ. In retirement, he volunteered at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Alex is survived by his wife of thirty-five years Barbara Pryor Waugh; his children David A. Waugh (Jen Waugh), Abigail Meletti (Chris Meletti), and Bec Stupak Diop (Aba Diop); his four grandchildren, Jane and Sidney Meletti, Ben Chaykowski, and Ahmed Diop; his sister Margaret Waugh Howie and Catherine Waugh Gilbert. He was predeceased by his brother Joseph Martin Waugh. Alex also leaves behind his beloved dog, Cricket. He will be remembered for his brilliance, wisdom, sparkling wit, deep kindness, and commitment to public service.

A celebration of his life will be held at 2:00pm on Friday, January 23, 2026 at Penn Hall at Pennswood Village, 1382 Newtown Langhorne Road, Newtown, PA 18940.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to: Pennswood Village Employee Scholarship Fund or to Mercer County Wildlife Fund