Richard Hare Fitzhugh was born November 17, 1944, at Freedmen's Hospital in Washington DC, the son of Howard Naylor Fitzhugh Sr. and Thelma Hare Fitzhugh. The Fitzhugh family lived in Arlington, Virginia and Richard and his brother Naylor were the first African America students to integrate a school in Virginia when they attended the Burgundy Farms Country Day School. The family moved to Washington, DC in 1952 and Richard entered the third grade at Lucy Diggs Slowe Elementary School. He attended Taft Jr. High and McKinley High School and graduated from Coolidge High School in 1961.
Richard graduated from Howard University in 1968 with a degree in Architecture. He later went to work for Bryant and Bryant Architects and was sent to work in their office in Georgetown, Guyana. After working as an architect for many years, Richard decided to pursue his passion as an artist. He moved out of his apartment and into his car- driving around the country and supporting himself by selling his drawings, paintings and prints. His long-time friend, Tom Jeffries, joined him for some of these travels.
Upon returning to the U.S., Richard purchased 3 acres of land in Shanghai, WV, and designed and built a home out of oak. On several occasions, his father came down to help him. While he loved being an artist, he found that he could combine his love of architecture with his skill as a watercolor painter by developing a very successful business in architectural rendering.
Richard married Estrellita Jones in 1995, and they moved to Alexandria, VA. He and Estrellita loved to travel and be physically active- running, walking, biking and playing tennis. Their favorite destination was Greece, and they enjoyed long walks there.
In 2004, they left their home in Alexandria, downsized, and began hiking the Appalachian Trail. They began in Georgia and after braving two hurricanes, they decided to leave the trail in Virginia after trekking for approximately 360 miles.
They purchased a home in Petworth in DC in 2004, and Richard maintained his work as a renderer. He also continued painting, displaying his beautiful artwork in several shows and galleries. You can see his fabulous art at https://richardfitzhugh.fineartstudioonline.com/ .
In 2010, Richard told Estrellita that he was having difficulty understanding what he was reading. In 2012, after consulting several doctors and specialists, he was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and he and Estrellita began to realize that their lives would change. With Estrellita's help, he continued the things he loved for many years. During the final few months, changes occurred more quickly, and Richard slipped away peacefully on the morning of February 8, 2023.
His parents and older brother, Howard Naylor Fitzhugh Jr., pre-deceased him. He is survived by his wife Estrellita, his sister Ido Jamar (Delim), his sister-in-law Carroll Fitzhugh, his nieces Rabi'ah Jamar and Courtney Fitzhugh Joseph (Alain), his nephews Howard Naylor Fitzhugh III (Traci), Kevan Fitzhugh (Courtney), and Dwayne Fitzhugh, his great nephews Howard Naylor IV, Josiah, Tate, and George, and his great niece Flora. He also left behind host of cousins and friends. Richard will be greatly missed but his free spirit remains with us all.
There will be a celebration of life for Richard on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 10:30AM at Hines-Rinaldi Funeral Home (11800 New Hampshire Avenue).
