Richard O Harig

Reverend Richard Oliver Harig

Richard Harig, known to most as Dick Harig, passed away on Friday, May 6th after a long and rewarding life. His was a rewarding life not just for him, but to all who he touched through his love, friendship and ministry.

Born in Akron on December 19, 1924, he was the third son of William J. Harig and Mary Richards Harig. As a young man he sang in old St. Paul's boy's choir, and graduated from Central High School. During the last years of WWII, he served in the Navy. While receiving his undergraduate degree at Bowling Green State University, he was elected student body president, served as president of SAE, president of the Interfraternity Council, and was named as a founding member of SICSIC, a secret honorary spirit society formed by the university's president. Upon graduation, he attended Kenyon College where he received his Masters of Divinity from Bexley Hall.

Embarking on a long career with the Episcopal Church, he first served as a chaplain at St. John's in Napoleon. He began his full-time ministry as Associate Rector of St. Paul's, Cleveland Heights, Ohio. His career path would then take him to Canton, where he was the minister at St. Marks. He was chosen as one of five American ministers for study at St. Augustine's Central College of Anglican Communion in Canterbury, England in the early 1960s. After his return to the states, he served as the Associate Director for the Ohio Diocese of Christian Education and Director of the Diocesan Conference Center near Painesville. He returned to full time ministry when he became the rector at Church of Our Saviour in Akron, a position he held for twenty-six years. During this tenure, he held additional positions in the Episcopal Church structure including the Bexley Hall Board of Trustees, the Diocesan Council, the church's training division, and the Diocese of Ohio Standing Committee. Richard served the community on numerous boards and organizations including Rotary, the Summit County Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Akron General Hospital, Sumner Home for the Aged, and the Northeast Care Center for the Handicapped.

His later work would include a rewarding period of interim ministries that took Richard and his wife, Ruth, to numerous exciting positions around the United States. In these various positions he facilitated healing, reconciliation and growth for churches in leadership transition. He served at Christ Church Cathedral in Cincinnati, St. Alban's In the Foothills in Tucson, St. Barnabas On The Desert in Scottsdale, Church of the Redeemer in Baltimore, St. John's Lattingtown in Locust Valley, and St. David's outside of Philadelphia.

The work of ministry was a life he mastered with all his heart and soul. He saw and was a part of the key moments of people's lives - birth, baptism, marriage, spiritual and personal growth, and death. His sensitivity was appreciated by many, and his personal grace and humor was embraced by all.

A family man first, he is survived by his wife, Ruth, a resident of Brookdale of Montrose; his son, Jeff and his family in Boston; and numerous nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters-in-law from Ohio, Connecticut, and New Zealand.

The family wish to thank the Doctors and Staff of the Hospice Care Center for the wonderful care Dick received.

A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. FRIDAY at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1361 W. Market St., with The Rt. Rev. William D. Persell, Jr. and The Rev. Gay C. Jennings officiating. The family requests that in lieu of flowers any memorials be made to Brookdale Healthcare Services, 100 Brookmont Road, Akron, OH 44333; a cancer research organization of your choice, or any of the organizations mentioned here as part of his life. (Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel)