Obituary of Richard Patrick MacBride

To view the recording of Richard's Memorial Service

please click here

Passed away, peacefully at home, surrounded by the love of his family on Saturday, December 17, 2022 at the age of 78 years.

Beloved by his wife of 52 years, Dorothy (nee Bechtel); his daughters, Jen MacBride (Josh Gard) and Alisa (Ben) MacBride Smith; and his cherished grandchildren, Michaela, Kate, Maggie, Fiona, and Luca. Richard is wonderfully remembered by his brothers Roger Mendelsohn and Raymond MacBride (Linda, predeceased); sister Judy (Bill) Porter; brothers and sisters-in-law Dave (Muriel) Bechtel, Martha (John) Wood, Norma (John) Lichti, Shirley (Darcy, predeceased) Snyder, and Esther Bechtel (predeceased) as well as their families. Predeceased by his father, John MacBride (Marg); his mother, Beryl Zaykowski; and his parents-in-law, Leonard and Nora Bechtel.

Richard lived a rich life with many wondrous experiences. He was a teacher, a development worker, a world traveller, an advocate for peace and justice, a theologian, a reader, a writer, a storyteller, and a delivery van driver. He was a lover of books, deep conversations, drawn-out humour, gardens, golf, opera, and classical music. He held an appreciation of the natural world. He nurtured a lifelong dedication to planting seeds of justice and transformation. He made us laugh, made us think, made us reflect. He invited us to share his anger at the injustices in our world and to take action in a multitude of small ways to make our time on this Earth be revolutionary. His spirit lives on.

Memorial Visitation will be held at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo, on Tuesday, December 20, 2022 from 2-4 and 6-8 pm. A Memorial Service will be held at Erb Street Mennonite Church, 131 Erb St. W., Waterloo, on Wednesday, December 21 at 2:00 pm. Cremation and a family interment will occur at a later date.

Condolences for the family and donations to Trees for Woolwich (by clicking here), MEDA, or Menno Homes may be arranged by clicking the "donation" tab above.

“If you want peace, work for justice.”

Pope Paul VI