John A. Richard, long time resident of Wynantskill, passed away quietly at home after a brief illness on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
He was born in North Adams, MA, the son of John J. Richard and Eudocha (Dolly) Rondeau.
He grew up in Williamstown and graduated from the old Williamstown High School, Class of ´49. He was a member of the Varsity ski team for four years. He then graduated from Franklin Technical Institute in Boston.
In 1952, he was drafted into the US Army. He served in the Korean War with the 1319 74th Engineers Heavy Equipment Co. as a mechanic. He was a lifelong member of the Williamstown American Legion. After teaching for a year at Franklin, he joined the staff at the former Hudson Valley Technical Institute in Troy, NY. He started as a lab technician in 1957. He continued at the college when it became Hudson Valley Community College. He continued his education at SUNY Oswego and received his teacher’s certification.
John went on to become department chairman, where he served for many years, retiring in 1995. He did what he enjoyed most, teaching about cars, and coached several winning trouble shooting teams.