John Paul Richie

heart attack on September 1, 2019 in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. As a young child, he moved from Petoskey to Ypsilanti, Michigan, where his parents attended college. He then moved to the Atlanta, Georgia area as an elementary student and still resided there at the time of his death.

John attended Brookwood High School, Oglethorpe University, and served in the US Army, both as an enlisted man and in the Army Reserves. He served in Germany: Operation Desert Storm in Iraq; Operation Enduring Freedom in Uzbekistan; Operation Nobel Eagle in the USA; and Operation Iraqi Freedon in Iraq. He spent 20 years in service.

JP was a loving son, father, brother, and teacher. He taught special education children at Chapelle Hill Middle School in DeKalb County, Georgia. He was a history buff, an adventurer, a seeker, a trickster always ready for fun and games; an intellectual; and he was a generous friend. He had a big heart, and loved his teaching job. He had many friends at his school, in AA and at the Spectrum Autism Support Group where he volunteered/worked for years.

He was charming and polite and enriched the lives of everyone around him. He was sweet and kind and was sometimes generous to a fault. He was a dedicated teacher and a joyous character loved by many. He will be missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his son, John Paul Richie, Jr. of Roswell, Georgia; his mother and step father, Claudia Ann and James E. Burns of Ocean Springs, Mississippi; his father, Robert J. Richie of Woodstock, Georgia; and his birth father John Rowe of Petoskey, Michigan. His is also survived by his brother, David James Richie and his wife Melissa, and their three children, Anna, Piper, and Matthew all from Colorado Springs, Colorado; his ex-wife and friend, Debra Richie of Roswell, GA and many beloved aunts, uncles and cousins across the United States.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of John Paul Richie, Sr. to his beloved school, Chapelle Hill Middle School, Principal Michael Alexander, 3535 Dogwood Farm Rd., Decatur, Georgia 30034.