John " Stu " Richards

John “Stu” Richards of Orwigsburg, PA passed on to eternal glory on Sunday November 3rd, 2024 following a courageous battle with ALS. Stu graduated from Pottsville Area High School in 1968. He was employed as an Electronics Technician at New Cumberland Army Depot for 40 years. Stu was most proud of his dedicated service to our Nation as an Air Force sergeant who performed a tour in Vietnam from 1970-1971. Not content to end his service to his fellow war veterans, he was a Disabled American Veterans service officer and a past President of the Orwigsburg chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Stu will be remembered for his clever sense of humor, his story telling, his numerous historical living history interpretations and his bigger than life personality. He was an accomplished and published amateur historian who diligently researched numerous aspects of Schuylkill County history, including baseball, the Civil War, and local anthracite coal mining. Stu and his close friend & singing partner, Tommy Symons were well known performers who entertained local audiences as The Breaker Boys. Stu was the author of five books and he was well regarded in the historical community for his detailed research and his blogging. His personal adventures included trekking in the Himalayas and Nepal, climbing Mount Rainer with his brother and close friends and local rock climbing sojourns. Stu was active in weight training, running, cycling and mountain biking and an avid fan of Blue Mountain football, Boston Red Sox and the Dallas Cowboys. His greatest joy in life was his grandson Nathaniel. Stu lived life with great gusto squeezing the most out of every day he was with us and thus serving as an example of how life should be lived to us all.

He is preceded in death by father George S. Richards and mother Isabelle (Brigade). Stu is survived by his wife Danielle, his dog Ernie, daughter Keziah and husband David Dixon, grandson Nathaniel Dixon, brother Rick and wife Sally Richards & their daughter Megan and her husband Eric Ryan and brother -in-law Frank Piacine. He will long be missed and ever remembered by all who knew and loved him. His arrangements are being handled by Hamilton-Breiner Funeral Home, Orwigsburg. A Celebration of Life will be held at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Orwigsburg, on Saturday, 9 November. Visiting hours with family will be from 9:00 to 11:00 with his Celebration of Life following immediately after from 11:00-12:00. A meal will be provided from 1:00 to 2:30 details will be available at the church on Saturday. In lieu of flowers donations to Hillside SPCA, or ALS United Mid-Atlantic.

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