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Richard (Rich) Kowalczyk, 56, passed from this life on Tuesday, September 3, 2019.
He was born in Greenwood, Mississippi, on February 16, 1963, the son of Henry and Nancy Kowalczyk. He was raised in Southington High, CT, where he was the editor of the School newspaper and an active member of the concert and marching band, playing the clarinet. After attending Boston University, he embarked on a career in financial services.
He married the former, Barbara Johnston on May 23, 1992. They have three children, Jonathan, Jewel Ann, and Jonah, who remained the center of the world to him.
After their relocation to Bartlesville in 1992, Richard worked in financial services with 66 Federal (Truity) Credit Union, Arvest Bank, and Bank of Oklahoma. As a member of the Bartlesville Southern Baptist Church, where he served as the Associate Pastor, was a deacon and taught Sunday School. He became active in the mission field, traveling to Venezuela, and Malawi, Africa on mission trips. It was on his second trip to Malawi he surrendered to a calling to the Gospel ministry. He accepted a call to serve as pastor of the Osage Indian Baptist Church in Pawhuska, Oklahoma from 2006 to 2011. He served as Treasurer of the Washington-Osage Baptist Association and filled in at churches with no active pastors. In recent years, he was an active member of City Church and Westside Baptist Church in Dewey and also attended Christ Community Church.
He returned to secular work for Conoco Phillips from 2012 to 2014. He later served as Assistant General Manager at Tallgrass Estates, a position he cherished for the many friendships he built with residents. Although both heart disease and an advanced prostate cancer survivor, his health was a constant battle for him. He was blessed in the last two years of his life by his companion, emotional assistant dog, Sophie.
Through his life, Richard was active in municipal, civic, and youth activities, serving on numerous boards, and coaching many of his children’s athletic teams. He was an avid fisherman (particularly with his children), a skilled carpenter and woodworker, and enjoyed astronomy and genealogy. His family, however, would always remain at the center of his life.
Richard is survived by his three beautiful children, Jonathan, Jewel Ann and Jonah and his mother, Nancy Kowalczyk all of Bartlesville, a sister, Suzanne, and a nephew, Vincent. He was blessed to share the last year of his life with Kathy Abeyta Uhrin, as they saw each other through many trials; with mutual love and support, they were stronger together.
He was preceded in death by his father, Henry Kowalczyk.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to Nancy Kowalczyk at Tallgrass Estate, 2633 S.E. Mission Dr.
A Memorial Service will be held at Bartlesville Southern Baptist Church on Friday, September 20, 2019 at 10:30 AM.
Friends who wish may sign the online guestbook at www.stumpff.org
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