Obituary of J. Richard Relick

J. Richard Relick

November 18, 1929 – August 30, 2024

You may have known him as Dick, JR, Joseph, Dad, Ricardo (during his Ecuador years), Uncle Dick, Grandad, or Mr. Relick, but if you were lucky enough to know him, you were lucky indeed. He lived a full life of good humor, hard work, determination, travel, contemplation and ultimately, wisdom.  At almost 95 he remained an easy-going optimist with a late-in-life burst of creativity - taking up painting and the ukulele at 92.

Born in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, he was, in the tradition of William Penn, a friend to all. Proud of his father’s Croatian heritage and his mother’s Scottish starch, he was one of four brothers, Jack, Bill, and Ronnie - each as funny and generous as the next. The Quaker values he learned in high school at Friends Central School outside Philadelphia stayed with him throughout his life as did his alumni support of both of his alma maters, Friends Central School and Dickenson College. 

His favorite early memories included his family’s summers at the New Jersey Shore, many years of life guarding in Ocean City, NJ and rowing in the stroke seat his first year at Friends Central. A picture of that rowing team still hangs on his wall. He attended Dickenson College where he pursued football and track, was president of his fraternity and ran a late-night laundry service with his roommate, Moose, washing and ironing shirts with dubious efficiency. Following graduation in 1951, the Korean War draft cued enrollment in officer’s candidate school in the Marines where he was discharged with honor as a second lieutenant. He was proud to be a Marine, but never had a taste for war.

He met his wife Dianne (Kehler) Relick in college, married, and together they raised three children, Kim, Jeffrey, and Peter. He later married Nancy Mercer and helped raise stepdaughter Lisa.

His 60 years of professional life were full of new jobs and new opportunities across the States, alighting for 10 years in Topsfield, Massachusetts where he served on the school board and was a deacon of the Congregational Church. A pivotal point in his life was his transfer to Brussels, Belgium in 1975 to start a European headquarters for his US based company. 

He traveled extensively for work and pleasure in Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and throughout the United States.  At age 86 he decided to retire to Cuenca, Ecuador where he learned Spanish and fulfilled his bucket list: traveling to the Galapagos Islands, through the Panama Canal and down the Amazon. He had hoped to dance the tango in Buenos Aires, but the pandemic interfered.

Family was important to him. He enjoyed spending time with his children, four grandchildren, and delighted in the antics of his five great grandchildren.

He spent his last three years in Belfast, Maine. He loved being back at the ocean, visiting the harbor and boat yard, sailing with his daughter and son-in-law, reading mystery and history books, and painting and learning the ukelele.

JR Relick is survived by his three children and their spouses - Kim (Lyle Lemon) Relick, Jeffrey (Tami) Relick, Peter (Diane Higgins) Relick; his five grandchildren and spouses - Kehler (Jeremy (deceased)) Welland, Katie Larison, Anson (James) Lampe, Randall (Angie) Relick, Alexis Higgins; and his five great grandchildren - Madeleine, Josie, Owen, Ren, and Jayden.

If you were lucky enough to know him, please carry his good spirit and grace-with-age forward as his legacy.

In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of J. Richard Relick may be sent to:

 

Friends Central School

Friends Central Advancement Office

1101 City Avenue, Wynnewood, PA  19096

 

Dickinson College

Office of College Advancement

P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.ripostafh.com