Richard Joseph Prendergast

Richard J. Prendergast passed away peacefully in his home on December 29. Richard, known as Dick, was 92 years old. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the only child of Joseph and Catherine (Sheeran) Prendergast. He grew up with a close-knit Irish family nearby with grandparents who were Irish immigrants.

Dick was a very hard worker who put himself through college. He graduated from LaSalle University with a degree in Business and married Lenore Lutz in 1955. Shortly after the wedding he was drafted into the Army and was sent to Korea during the Korean War. Mr. Prendergast earned a master’s degree from NYU after leaving the army. He had a long career with IBM, where he was part of the team that worked on the first word processor. His job with IBM took him and his family to various places throughout the country ending up in Boulder. He retired and moved to Estes Park in 1990 where he was active in the Estes community working with the Multi-cultural Alliance, Crossroads, and Our Lady of the Mountains Church.

Dick was generous, kind and always had a clever remark. He cared deeply about the state of the world, and tried to think and act for the good of others. He was very proud of his Irish roots. To call him a voracious reader would be an understatement. He appreciated the written word and built an extensive library of over 4,000 books covering an array of topics including history, philosophy, religion, and literature.

He will be missed by his children Mary, Paul and Robert Prendergast, their spouses, and his six grandchildren, as well as those ladies who cared for him in his home. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 62 years, Lee.

There will be a Memorial Mass on May 14 at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church.

Donations to Crossroads are requested in lieu of flowers. To leave a message for the family please visit www.allnuttestespark.com