Richard Nowogrodzki

Richard Nowogrodzki died peacefully at his home in Trumansburg on September 2 after two and a half years of grappling with biliary cancer with integrity and grace. He was 64. He is survived by his wife Barbara, his son Peter, his daughter Anna and her husband Ian McGullam, his father Mark, and his sister Susan.

Richard was born on March 2, 1948, in Manhattan, to Mark and Mery Nowogrodzki, who had both miraculously escaped from Warsaw to New York City during World War II. At Cornell University, he was active in the anti-war movement and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Math in 1969. Afterward, he hitchhiked across the country, picked apples in Bellingham, WA, and finally resettled in Ithaca, where he met Barbara and completed his PhD in Entomology at Cornell, studying honeybees.

He and Barbara married in 1980. He held several jobs throughout his life, including as a teacher at East Hill School in Ithaca and, most recently, as a technical writer and editor at CBORD, where he worked for many years, serving as the company’s representative to both the Ithaca Public Education Initiative and Ithaca’s FoodNet program. He was integral in the community of Wisdom’s Goldenrod Center for Philosophic Studies, a committed student of Anthony Damiani and Paul Brunton, and, for years, an active member of the Trumansburg Volunteer Fire Department.

Richard’s dedication to philosophical study was matched only by his devotion to his family and friends. He often expressed his gratitude for the care and support he received from family and friends during his illness. Richard’s kindness and generosity influenced many, and he is fondly remembered by all.

Calling hours will be from 3-5 p.m. on Saturday, September 15 at Ness-Sibley Funeral Home, 23 South St., Trumansburg.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Wisdom’s Goldenrod, 5801 NYS Rte 414, Hector, NY 14841; Amnesty International, 5 Penn Plaza, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001 (www.amnestyusa.org ); or FoodNet Meals on Wheels, 2422 N. Triphammer Road, Ithaca, NY 14850-1014 ( www.foodnet.org ).