Rev. E. Albert Rich

Rev. Ernest Albert Rich was born on Jan. 31, 1922 in Bluefield, Va. and passed on Tuesday March 20, 2018 in Ellicott City, MD. He was the 6th of 8 children born to Rev. Ernest Albert Rich, Sr. and Alice Oliver Rich. He was a graduate of St. James School, Hagerstown MD, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio, served in the Army Air Corps in England, France and Germany during WWII and graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary. He married Ruth Watt Rich in June 1952. Al and Ruth had five children: Michael, Susan, Timothy, Stephen and Andrew and grandchildren: Desta, Erik, Jason, Ian, Lizzie (Ames), Morgan, Matthew, Montgomery, Maggie, Albert, Chelsea and Haley. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth (2017), and by his grandson, Albert (2013).

Al’s first parish was St. James Episcopal Church in Bedford, Pa. from 1952-1956. For 25 years, he served as the Rector at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ellicott City, Maryland, 1956-1981, then he accepted a call to St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Sun City, AZ. Rev. Al Rich was heralded for his special gift of ministering to the grieving. In 1985, Al collaborated with Sunland Memorial Park to found a support group that provided counseling and support to those who were grieving the loss of a spouse. With a population prevalent with lengthy marriages of 50 or more years, Sun City had long had a systemic issue with grieving widowed spouses often having inadequate support systems, succumbing to severe depression and sometimes leading to suicide. The grief management group that Rev. Rich initiated and cultivated for nearly 30 years was aptly named Good Mourning Associates and provided local citizens with a community forum for sharing their feelings and helping each other to cope with and alleviate their grief. It is estimated that more than 2500 people found solace in their participation in the Good Mourning group during its tenure and several marriages even transpired between attendees. Al presented graduates of the program with a handkerchief, symbolizing their victory over their grief. Many of these participants have commented emphatically on how this program was unlike any other that they had ever experienced and that their involvement literally saved their lives.

Al was a “minister of the people” and joked about “hatching, matching, and dispatching” his beloved parishioners. He will be remembered as a loving father to family and many, many parishioners.

In retirement, he and Ruth enjoyed hosting several generations of family and friends at their blueberry farm in Chocorua, NH.

A memorial service to celebrate Al’s life will be held in Ellicott City, MD. Please be in touch with your thoughts, requests, and to contribute and exchange a more comprehensive memory of this much loved servant of the Lord: Andy Rich - [email protected] or Susan Rich - [email protected]

Contributions in Rev. Rich’s memory can be made to: St. John’s Episcopal Church, 9120 Frederick Rd, Ellicott City, MD 21042 or the Chocorua Lake Conservancy, P.O.Box 105 Chocorua, N.H. 03817 or Gilchrist Hospice Care, 6336 Cedar Lane, Columbia. Md. 21044