Obituary of Richard Siegel
Levine Memorial Chapel notes with sorrow the sudden passing of Richard D. Siegel left this life suddenly and unexpectedly on Wednesday, September 4, while doing one of his favorite things, playing golf. Richard was born on December 21, 1946 in Schenectady, New York to LeRoy and Sara Siegel, who pre-deceased him. He was joined by his sister Joanie, who passed away in 2017.
“Richie” was educated in local Schenectady schools, Croydon Hall Academy in New Jersey and graduated from Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts, in 1969. He loved to regale his family and friends with tales of his various shenanigans at these institutions. He went to work at his family’s meatpacking business, Pleasant Valley, founded by his beloved grandfather and mentor Leo Weiss. After Pleasant Valley closed, Richie went on to work as a food broker at various organizations in the Albany-Schenectady area before retiring in 2012.
At that time, Richie and his wife Susan moved to the Seacoast of New Hampshire where he honed his love of golf while Susan completed her career with Albany International Corp. When his sons Steven and Adam began to have children of their own, Richie could not tolerate being so far away from them, so off to Florida Susan and Richie went, moving there full-time in September 2016.
Richie often said these years in Florida were the best of his life: he was near both his sons, and he was a full-time Papa for Matthew, Joshie, Sara and Samantha. His family and friends became overwhelmed at the number of videos and photos he would send them of his adored grandchildren. His job, as he saw it, was to now take care of his wife, sons and grandchildren, and he did it with great joy. He was the Pied Piper of his grandchildren and their #1.
He loved the Giants, the Yankees and sports in general; he loved a wide range of music, particularly James Brown and Buddy Guy, and loved being outdoors, especially lazy days at the beach.
Richie was a one-of-a-kind. It is impossible to capture his essence in words; everyone he knew has a Richie story. And we will be telling these stories to comfort each other for years to come. We will love him and miss him all the days of our lives.
Richie leaves behind his wife of 14 years, Susan Marie Catherine (he liked to use her three names and say they had been really married 25 years because they had their first date in September 1994); son Steven, his wife Jessica and their boys Matthew and Joshua (Wellington, FL); son Adam, his wife Kim and their daughters Sara and Samantha (Lake Worth, FL). Additionally, his brother-in-law Richard Olender and his cherished nieces Lisa Newman and Karen Nash and their husbands and children. Also, his second mother Aunt Marion and an extended family of beloved cousins he grew up with in Schenectady and have always played a major role in his life. Also, his first wife Sandi Gould, the mother of Steven and Adam, who became a great friend to both Richie and Susan.
Donations can be made in the memory of Richard Siegel to St. Jude’s Children Hospital and/or the Salvation Army Bahamas Hurricane Relief.
Services and interment were held today, Monday in Boynton Beach, Florid
