James J. Richard

RICHARD James Joseph (Jim) 1922-2018 James J. Richard, retired public relations executive and former newspaper man, passed away Friday, April 20th at The Franciscan Care Center. He was 95 years old. Born in Erie, Pa, September 7th, 1922, to Timothy M and Allie (Olle) Richard. Jim was married to Agnes Christina (Polomsky) Richard on August 10th, 1946. She preceded him in death on February 18th, 2001. They were proud parents of Timothy (Patricia) Richard, Sylvania, Ohio; Regina (William) Coughlin, Eastlake, Ohio and Christina (James) Johnson, Church Hill, Md. Survivors include six grandsons, Christopher and Andrew (Kimberly) Richard, Liam and Conor Coughlin, Richard and Jamie Johnson, two granddaughters, Kieran Coughlin (James) Zalar and Allie Johnson; two great grandsons, Alexander Richard and James J. Richard, and three great-granddaughters, Lily, Sophia and Cecelia Richard. Jim grew up in Bellevue, Ohio attending Immaculate Conception school, Bellevue Central High School and Kent State University. During World War II, he served as a boatswain with the U.S. Merchant Marines from 1942 to 1946 in the North Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pacific war theatres, earning an honorable discharge from the USMM, Naval Reserve and U.S. Coast Guard. Jim joined the Toledo Blade in 1946 as a sports writer, golf editor and columnist. In 1955 he became the Assistant Director of Public Relations for the International UAW in Detroit. He returned to Toledo in 1957 to establish the Burr Public Relations Agency, partnering with two former Blade writers, Vic Ullman and Chuck Baker. The Burr Agency became Ullman, Richard and Associates, which later became Beeson-Reichert-Richard, Inc. That agency became Rotsinger-Tenney-Richard, Inc. Jim handled many campaigns for local, state, and federal political candidates and issues. He sold his interest in the firm and joined the Medical College of Ohio in 1978 as Director of Communications. He retired in 1989. He continued as a part-time instructor in public relations, speech and technical writing at the University of Toledo until 1992. Jim served as President of the Newspaper Guild, was a board member of the Toledo Area Chamber of Commerce and was a 30-year member of the Downtown Kiwanis. He was a member of the PRSA College of Fellows and former President of the Mental Health Center and was an institutional member of the Board of WGTE-TV, Channel 30 (PBS). In retirement he was the founding President of the MCO (UTMC) retirees organization. He was past President of the Ohio Writers Forum. He volunteered and coordinated many organizations, including “Call for Action” and “Ask the Attorney” at both TV channels 11 and 13. He wrote a monthly sports column for Mature Living Magazine and did assignment writing for the Catholic Chronicle. A member of St. Joseph Parish in Sylvania at the time of his passing, he was a Hospice Eucharistic minister at Flower Hospital. He volunteered for Mobile Meals for over ten years with his dearest friend and companion Linda Tippett, who passed in 2015. Jim was an active golfer and bowler in many area leagues. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Old Newsboys, Sylvania Senior Center, The Metroparks, Sylvania Historical Society and the Walter Weller Post #135 of the American Legion. One of his greatest joys was volunteering at The Queen of Apostles School in Toledo, assisting students and teachers in the computer skills lab. The body was donated to the University of Toledos Medical School. A Catholic Mass will be offered at St. Joseph Parish in Sylvania on Saturday, May 5th. A reception will follow at the Family Center, on the East Campus of the parish.