Richard Wayne Romich

Richard W. Romich, 72, of Columbia Cottage, Wyomissing and formerly of West Lawn died in The Reading Hospital and Medical Center, September 4, 2012.

Richard was born in Amityville, PA on May 8, 1940, the son of the late John L. and Mildred I. (John) Romich.

He is survived by a brother, Kenneth C. and wife Maryellen, Austin, Texas; a sister, Anne R., wife of Ronald G. Hertzog, Spring Township; and a sister Nancy C. Romich, West Lawn. There are four nephews: Nicholas A. Romich, Dallas, Texas; Alexander N. Romich, Austin Texas; Chad R. Hertzog and wife Stacey, Mililani, Hawaii; and Christian R. Hertzog and wife Carly, Jersey City, New Jersey.

Richard was a 1958 graduate of Wilson High School and a 1962 graduate of Shippensburg State College, where he earned both a bachelor's and a master's degree. He taught business education courses at Elco High School, Myerstown for one year and spent the remainder of his thirty-six year teaching career in the business education department at Wilson High School. He retired in 1998.

During his career, Richard was a member of the Pennsylvania State Education Association and the Wilson Education Association. He served many years as a member of the negotiating team and was the scorer for basketball for many years. Richard loved numbers and sports and served as Wilson's athletic statistician par-excellence even into his retirement. He was a member of the Wilson Century Club and received its service award in 1985. He was inducted into the Wilson High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1999 and was the main consultant for background information on Hall of Fame candidates. He was the recipient of the Berks Chapter Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame John Gurski Citizenship Award in 2008.

Richard loved trivia and jigsaw puzzles and was the Puzzle Master at Columbia Cottage where he last resided. He loved baseball, particularly the Phillies, and anything and everything about Wilson High School Athletics.

Richard was an active and beloved member of Advent Lutheran Church, West Lawn where he served as treasurer, financial secretary, endowment committee member, and council member during the course of his lifetime.

Services will be Monday at 11 a.m. in Advent Lutheran Church, 16 Telford Ave., West Lawn. Viewings will be held Sunday 5 to 7 p.m. in Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., 739 Penn Ave., West Reading and Monday 9:30 to 11 a.m. in the church. Burial will be in Oley Cemetery, Spangsville.

It was Richard's wish that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name may be made to Advent Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, 16 Telford Ave. West Lawn, PA 19609 or the Wilson High School Scholarship Fund, 2601 Grandview Blvd. West Lawn, PA 19609. Online condolences may be recorded at www.kuhnfuneralhome.com.