Harrison Rychener

My husband preferred to go by H.C. Rychener, no fuss just a ionbasic person.



He was born in Harrisburg, PA on February 5, 1929 to Una Kepler Rychener and Raymond Raber Rychener. His paternal grandparents were Amish (Raber) and Mennonite (Rychener) from Fulton County, Ohio. On the maternal side he had the German Keplers and the British (Carters and Withers family).



My husband of more than fifty years was a perfect companion, a kind son, hard worker, enthusiastic outdoorsman, and loving pet owner.



He was a shy child who attended five schools before graduating from Kenmore High School in Buffalo, NY. In Beaver Falls, PA he attended a one room school house where one teacher taught four classes at one time. Rich graduated from University of Buffalo as a Chemist in 1951.



He was hired by Jones & Laughlin Steel but interrupted his career to serve in the Korean War. Enlisting as a private, as an officer had a short span, he was with the 25th infantry division known as "Tropic Lightening" as a sniper and served almost three years discharged as a Sergeant. He returned to J&L and spent twenty years in sales and later as a metallurgist.



In 1968 he joined the MCKay Company in York, PA as a manager of Quality control and in 1971 joined me in taking the Federal Entrance Exam. Rick accepted a position at Social Security in disability as a claims examiner at the headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland where we spend a couple of decades.



We started traveling as much as we could. Rick enjoyed sea travel and we made at least three inland transatlantic trips. He enjoyed European Rail from the Arctic Circle in Finland to the shores of Portugal.



At home, we began our Winnebago days combined with challenge square dancing and spent a lot of time with great friends following the hobby east of Mississippi and making four night a week treks to Washington to practice.



Later, Rick enjoyed time we spent at our summer cottage in Vermont and exploring New England but upon retirement was generous to come to Cleveland with me where I could be near friends. We lived in Hudson and more recently we have resided in Aurora at Walden.



Rick was my dearest companion and fellow only child. He was a quiet person you could count on and who was never selfish. I will miss him greatly, as will his personal pal Velvet the kitty that kept close to him and lent support for his fight against heart failure and pulmonary fibrosis.



I would like to thank the Cleveland Clinic and staff in ICU at Hillcrest Hospital, especially Dr. Bergeron and wonderful nurse Sondra Santiago for their Sympathetic kindness and care of both their patient and myself, who would have been lost without them.



Written by Suzanne Hope Neely Rychener



Those who wish may make contributions in his name to The Portage Animal Protective League, 8122 Infirmary Rd, Ravenna, OH 44266.



Funeral services will be held, Thursday, September 25th at 1 PM at Brown-Forward Funeral Home, 17022 Chagrin Blvd., Shaker Heights, Ohio, WHERE FRIENDS MAY CALL ONE HOUR PRIOR TO THE SERVICE.








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