Richard W. McIntyre

Richard W. McIntyre, of Bedford PA died on Thursday August 27th at home. He was born on 6/16/50 in Cumberland MD. He was the son of J. William McIntyre from Six Mile Run, PA and Sarah Katherine Stoler McIntyre of Saxton, PA. Richard was a 1968 graduate of Bedford High School. Richard married Penelope (Penny) Smith of Concord, MA on May 26th, 1990.

Richard felt fortunate to have been born in the USA to good parents. At the age of 5 or 6 he recalled listening to his mother playing Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite on her small 45 rpm record player. He was very taken with the music and believes it was what started his lifelong appreciation, and gift, of classical music, and music in general.

Richard felt the stresses during his student years during the turmoil of the Vietnam era (1968-1970) while studying Liberal Arts at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, PA. From 1970 – 1972 he attended a School of Music in Boston where he studied classical guitar and was exposed to Jazz and Jazz musicians in an urban setting that definitely broadened his musical tastes. When the music school closed Richard spent four years working at the Boston Public Library. His library job gave him access to the millions of items in various collections where he gained more general knowledge during those years than at any other time. He lived in the Back Bay of Boston where he was exposed to “urban life”, which gave him the opportunity to attend many unforgettable performances of the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall.

Richard’s technical career began in 1976 in Baltimore MD. From 1978-1980 he worked as a Test Engineer in Gaithersburg, MD. In 1980 he moved to Massachusetts and became a Software Engineer in Concord, MA. From 1981 to 1997 Richard worked various Senior Engineering Management roles and Program Management jobs for Digital Equipment Corporation (now Hewlett Packard). During this time, he met and married his wife, Penny, who also worked there as an Employee Development Specialist/Trainer.

Richard retired at age 49. In 1999 he and Penny moved to Bedford Pennsylvania to help care for his aging relatives. Penny continued working, teaching private music lessons in their home music studio while Richard got into “cycling”. While exploring and rediscovering the terrain and landscapes in the local area and neighboring states with his best friend and bike partner, Mary Lorah, Richard made many great riding friends from Bedford, Altoona, Johnstown, and the Cumberland area. Jason Griffith, a Strava Cycling buddy described riding the “Garret County Gran Fondo Diabolical Double” with Richard as one of the hardest things he had ever done. He noted that Richard was a strong rider who typically won, at many events in his age group, including the 65+ National Champion in 2017.

Richard continued riding up to the end, even into his mid 70s, until he fell from a ladder on June 14th, two days before his 76th birthday. He spent 40 days in Pittsburgh’s Mercy Hospital Spinal Cord Rehab unit where he used his expert technical skills to operate his fancy Red Quantem Edge 4 electric wheelchair.

Richard was intelligent, soft spoken, witty and fiercely independent. Penny and Richard’s three cats were grateful to have him back home for five weeks after he was discharged from Mercy Hospital.

Survivors include his wife: Penny, his sister: Margaret (Marnie) McIntyre Derabasse, formerly from State College, currently in Bedford, PA, brother: John (Jack) McIntyre, married to Karen Gordon McIntyre of Monroeville, PA, and niece Heather McIntyre of Monroeville, PA.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. NO Flowers or Plants, please!!! In lieu, donations can be made in Richard’s memory to: “Give Purrs A Chance” 51 Independence Street, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411 or “Bedford County Food Bank” 140 School Street, Bedford, PA 15522. Arrangements by the Timothy A. Berkebile Funeral Home in Bedford. Our online guest book is available at www.berkebilefuneralhome.com.