Richard (Dick) Andrew Rathemacher passed away June 17, 2023, at Riverview Hospital in Red Bank of pneumonia complications preceded by dementia. Born in New York City, the son of August and Andrée Andrew Rathemacher, he spent most of his life as a resident of Navesink and Atlantic Highlands. He was 91 years old. His final year was spent at Sunrise of Lincroft where he received attentive care.
Dick graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School where he was captain of the school’s championship rifle team. He also was a National Forensic League debater and an honors student. At Lafayette College, Class of 1954, he was active in Zeta Psi fraternity, was on the dean’s list, and graduated with “distinction” in his major field of psychology.
Following college, he went to the United States Navy’s Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. He was commissioned as an ensign and assigned to the National Security Agency in Washington, D.C. He was honored to receive commendations from a U.S. Army Lieutenant General and a U.S. Air Force Brigadier General. It pleased him that he made his parents proud with his many accomplishments.
After release from active duty, Dick joined IBM. He spent the next 30 years holding various systems engineering and marketing management positions. He attended the IBM graduate school, Systems Research Institute, in New York City, where he met his future wife Shirley. Dick and Shirley were married in 1966. Their daughter Andrée, on whom he focused much of his attention, was born in 1970.
Dick was an organized person and those who worked for him have said they learned and followed many of his techniques. He loved historical and antique objects, boats, watches, lighthouses, collectible guns and his evening martini. His organizational skills were on display when he took over as general contractor for a house he was building in Navesink on land that had been in his family for generations.
A long retirement permitted Dick and Shirley to pursue their lifelong hobby of travel. They saw much of the United States and more than 110 foreign countries.
Dick was predeceased by his brother John, nephew John and many close friends. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Shirley, and his daughter Andrée. He is also survived by four nephews, Peter, Richard, Christopher and Paul; a niece Marie Rathemacher-Reo; three first cousins, Carl (Janet), John Rathemacher and Catherine Lindroth; as well as a number of other cousins, a great-nephew, and two great-nieces.
Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, June 22 at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St., Red Bank. A reception will follow.
The article originally appeared in the June 22 – 28, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
