RICHARD RODEFER

He was preceded in death by both his parents, Dorothy Shackleford and Howard Hayden Rodefer; and his younger brother, Stephen.

He leaves behind a wife, Lindsay Scott; sister, Judy; three children, Joshua (Paige) of Thomasville, GA, Susan of Doha, Qatar, and Alexis of Pittsburgh; four grandchildren, Nathaniel, Jacob, Samuel and Ella; two cats Ozzie and Izzie; and several chickens.

He was an active member of the Unitarian Universalist church and the Teutonia Mannerchor.

Rik grew up in Bellaire, OH and graduated from Bellaire High School. Rik attended both Dartmouth and Bethany College, where he was captain of the swim team. After graduation, he married, joined the Peace Corps and went to serve in the Philippines as a teacher and educator. Upon returning to the U.S., Rik joined the family business at the Rodefer-Gleason Glass Factory in Bellaire before retiring from Weirton Steel.

Rik was a lifelong participant in Democratic politics and a Browns fan who oddly chose to live in Steeler country. He was renowned for playing a mean game of hearts and drumming on tables with his fingers. Among his many skills were his excellent singing voice, truly beautiful cursive penmanship, the ability to fit a full family and lots of luggage into a small car for a family vacation, and a penchant to belly-flop repeatedly into swimming pools, much to the delight of all small children in the vicinity.

Visitation will be at Unitarian Universalist Church at 2359 West Ingomar Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 on Saturday August 25, 2018 from 1-3 p.m.

There will be a short celebration of Rik’s life at 3 p.m. with a reception afterwards.

In lieu of flowers, his family suggests donations be directed towards the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, www.uusc.org, the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania www.aswp.org, or your preferred Democratic candidate this fall.

Professional Services Trusted to Thomas M. Smith Funeral Home & Crematory, Ltd. (Blawnox) www.thomasmsmithfh.com