- Date Of Birth: March 6, 1946
- Date Of Death: June 3, 2022
- State: Massachusetts
John was born to Bill and Erna Rich on March 6, 1946 in Mt. Kisco, NY. He grew up in nearby Brewster with his parents, three brothers and their extended family. He graduated from Brewster High School and then attended the University of Virginia, where he earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering. The University remained a focal point of his life. The education and experiences he gained there formed the foundation for his entire adult life. His friends from the University became life-long friends who remained an important part of his life. And one of his proudest achievements was the creation of a scholarship fund for students applying to the UVA Engineering School. His scholarship is designated for students who would be the first in their families to attend college. He saw this as a way to create opportunity for all deserving applicants. Upon graduation from UVA he worked for GE, supporting the design and construction of nuclear power plants. Nuclear power became a cornerstone of his career, and after 10 years with GE, he went on to work for two different nuclear consulting firms over the next 15 years. During his time with GE, he completed an MBA at the University of Massachusetts, and as his career progressed, his focus shifted to general management consulting for utility companies. He eventually founded his own firm, which ran successfully for 10 years. He took great pride in his work, and built a firm that became known for the quality of it work and the innovation of solutions developed for its clients. John kept in his desk a poem by Marge Piercy to remind him of the person he wanted to be:“I love people who harness themselves, like an ox to a heavy cart, who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience, who strain in the mud and muck, to pull things forward, who do what has to be done, again and again.” Above all he loved his family – especially his wife Nancy, his children Michael and Kristan, his daughter-in-law Monica and his granddaughter Tess, treasuring all the time he spent with them. He also loved his brothers and their families. Holiday celebrations, which brought them all together, were always his favorite events of the was an avid sailor, sailing around New England with Nancy each summer. He particularly enjoyed cruising to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, and these became annual events for 25 years. He spent summers on Nantucket for most of his life, and this become his second home in faith was also important to him. During his later years he battled both severe heart failure and cancer. He attributed his ability to deal with both simultaneously to his faith and the love and support of his family. He was grateful for all he had been given in life, which he considered to be a lot, and which he wanted to share with others. He attended St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Nantucket every summer and Christ Church Parish in Plymouth, MA during the rest of the year. John finally succumbed to heart failure on June 3, 2022. He leaves behind his beloved wife Nancy, his children Michael and Kristan, his daughter-in-law Monica, his granddaughter Tess, his brothers Bill, Chris and Peter, and their families.
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