Richard Frederick Kellerman passed away peacefully at 12:20 pm on Sunday, April 13, in his home in East Norriton, Pennsylvania, surrounded by the comfort of the place he shared with his beloved wife, Kathleen Ann Kellerman.

Born on September 11, 1947, at Hackensack Hospital in New Jersey, Richard grew up in Carlstadt, where he first showed his gifts as an athlete — excelling in both basketball and baseball. His love of sport was matched in adulthood by a deep passion for fishing and carpentry, which he pursued with both mastery and joy.

Richard had a lifelong love of the water — whether in the Meadowlands or Barnegat Bay during his youth, out on Long Island Sound near the family’s longtime home in Connecticut, or vacationing on the peaceful shores of Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire or Lake George in New York. He was most at peace with a fishing rod in hand and the open sky above, a feeling beautifully captured in the verses of his favorite song, “Cool Change” by Little River Band.

A natural green thumb and devoted student of the outdoors, Richard studied horticulture at Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and tended to his plants and gardens with care and craftsmanship. The family moved from New Jersey to Newtown, where they resided for 17 years, and Rich and Kathy later spent 21 years living in the Poconos before settling in the Philadelphia area.

Prior to retirement, Richard had a distinguished career in corporate sales, concluding with a tenure at ExxonMobil.

Richard was the son of Dorothy Assenheimer and Frederick Kellerman, and is survived by his sister, Carol Huber. He is also survived by his wife, Kathleen; his son Scott and fiancée Stephanie; his son Michael and husband Nick; and his cherished grandsons Luke, Daniel, and Benjamin.

He was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Kerry, who died in 2013, and whose memory he held close to his heart.

In lieu of a funeral service, the family will host a celebration of Richard’s life at a later date, where friends and family will be invited to share memories, stories, and the love he leaves behind. For those interested, the family asks that donations be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation at Parkinson.org or the Michael J. Fox Foundation at michaeljfox.org.