December 10 1948 October 13 2019
Clyde Richard Horan December 10, 1948 – October 13, 2019 Share this obituary Send Flowers View/Sign Guestbook| Send Sympathy Card| Memorial Donation Clyde Richard Horan has taken the next step on his journey. Rich was 70 years old when he died suddenly at his beautiful home in Lebanon, New Jersey, on Sunday morning, October 13, 2019. Rich was a Baby Boomer, born Friday, December 10, 1948, and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, the second child of Ruth (Monstery) and Robert Horan. From an early age and throughout his life, Rich never sat still. There was always a tree to climb, a trail to hike, a project to complete. When he was 11 years old and showed up at home with a broken arm, no one really believed his claim that this energetic boy had simply tripped while walking. As a young boy, Rich earned a few dollars with his shoe-shine kit. Later, he did odd jobs at the home of Police Lieut. Jim Murray, a friend and neighbor who wrote in his 8th grade autograph book: “May you go thru life with your head held high and with thoughts of others.” Rich clearly took that advice to heart. A month after graduating from Dickinson High School in 1967, Rich enlisted in the US Army and served from March to December 1968 with the A. Company 51st Signal Battalion in the Republic of Korea. Although this completed his overseas obligation, Rich then volunteered for a tour of duty in Vietnam, where he served during 1969-70 as a tactical circuit controller with the 25th Infantry Division at Tây Ninh Combat Base. On June 21, 1969, after days of shelling, the People’s Army of Vietnam attacked the base and Tây Ninh City. For his actions during the attack, Rich earned the Good Conduct Medal, and later while still serving in Vietnam he earned the Army Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star. Shortly after his discharge from the army, Rich began a career of 30+ years with the Bell System, working in the Midwest with AT&T Long Lines and later in New Jersey and Massachusetts with AT&T Labs. During that time, Rich’s accomplishments included the AT&T Architecture Award and a US Patent earned in 2001 for Inventing “A Method and Apparatus for Reusing Service Circuit Resources in a Telecommunications Network.” Upon his retirement from AT&T, Rich started his own handyman business, “An Extra Set of Hands,” using the many tools and skills he had accumulated to perform jobs large and small for area homes and businesses. Throughout his life, Rich had a strong commitment to service for others. His many honors included a Donor Recognition Award from New Jersey Blood Services; the Robert Zirlin Fund Raising Award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society; the Most Diversified award for service to the Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College; and the Top Platelet Donor award from New York Blood Center. He worked with the North Branch Reformed Church to provide housing for homeless Vietnam veterans. His church service also included work with the Building and Grounds Committee, maintaining the church buildings, grounds and cemetery. He could always be depended on to help church members by trimming trees, moving furniture, and making repairs. He was also an avid recycler and major participant in the church’s scrap metal program, collecting and sorting tons of metal, hauling it to the scrap yard and turning over the funds to the church. Music played a big role in Rich’s life, and he was thrilled to meet Harry Chapin’s family when they came for a tribute performance after Chapin’s death. He also enjoyed travel, had toured much of the United States and was eagerly planning his next adventure. And although born and raised in the city, Rich relished the country life, planting his gardens and feeding the many birds and critters who lived in the woods around his home. Rich is survived by his daughter Lisa Schrems, son-in-law Andrew and granddaughter Ashtyn of Denver, Colorado; sisters Lynda Sigtermans of Allentown NJ, Jan Somers of Basking Ridge NJ, and Katie Pollinger of Newtown PA; and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins, friends, church family and neighbors. He also leaves behind Barbara Fornadel, his dearest companion of nearly 15 years. Family and friends are invited to share memories of Rich: Fri. October 18, Allentown NJ 12 noon – 2:30 pm, Peppler Funeral Home, 114 S. Main Street 3 pm, La Piazza Restaurant, 11 Church Street Sun. October 27, Bridgewater NJ 12 noon, North Branch Reformed Church, 203 Route 28 Memorial service followed by luncheon Private burial will be held at BG William C. Doyle Veterans Cemetery, Wrightstown, New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial contribution to the ALS Association (www.alsa.org) Print Obituary
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Clyde Richard Horan December 10 1948 October 13 2019.
Death notice for the town of: Allentown, state: New Jersey