Ricardo (Ric) Fernandez

An incredibly good man, Ricardo (Ric) Fernandez, passed away on August 30, 2021. He was born on August 18, 1941, in New Eagle, PA, and passed away in Columbus, OH where he had gone to celebrate his 80th birthday with family. Ric was preceded in death by his parents, Amador and Anita Fernandez and his sister, Maria Horton, all of Donora, PA. Ric is survived by his wife, Kathleen (Kathy) Matty Fernandez and their children: # 1 Daughter, Lisa (Rick) Knudson, and their loving children Erik, Ian, and Ellie of Lake Ridge, VA; his son Carlos (Colleen) Fernandez and their children Panthea and Aiden of Martinez, GA; his devoted son Joseph (Dr. Lydia Emmeline) and their three adorable canine children Stevie, Cara, and Virgil; and his Hawai’ian family Tracy, Glen, and Jaron Yoshikane. Ric joined the Navy at age 19, and “after four years of being seasick,” went to California University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in math. Upon graduation, he took a position as a computer programmer with the DoD in Washington, DC, and his first child, Lisa, was born. In 1969 he took his young family to Pearl City, Hawaii, where Carlos was born, and they stayed until 1983. From there, they moved with DoD to London, England, and Joseph was born. They loved to travel, but Ric’s focus was on family and career. They moved to Burke, VA in 1986. Over the course of the next 25 years, Ric worked for the DoD, White House Communication Agency (WHCA), DNI and numerous other alphabet organizations in the Washington area as an Oracle DBA. He retired in 2011 to garden and explore the world with his beloved wife of 54 years. “I’ve been blessed,” he said daily. He spent years taking his children to soccer, track, baseball, basketball, and Tae Kwon Do practices and games. He visited children and grandchildren, grew fantastic tomatoes, and traveled “From Iceland to Molokai,” Alaska to Antarctica, and Spain to Turkey. Ric often snuck treats to neighbors’ dogs, talked politics with family and friends, learned about astronomy, astrophysics, or ancient civilizations, rooted for Liverpool Soccer Club, called his children’s best friends to discuss new ideas, and, in general, loved life. Ric was the head of a house built on love, and he thanked God for every minute. He had a kind and generous heart. Ric will be more than missed; he will be loved forever. Donations in Ric's memory can be made to https://fisherhouse.org/

Tributes

Ricardo (Ric) Fernandez

August 30, 2021