Richard Joseph Jakubaszek

Richard Joseph Jakubaszek, 67, of Marlborough, passed away peacefully in his home on January 12, 2022, with his wife of 21 years, Susan (Aucoin) Jakubaszek, by his side. Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, he was the son of the late Theodore and Consuelo (Villasmil) Jakubaszek. Richard was a 1972 graduate of Chicopee Comprehensive High School and received his Bachelor's Degree at UMass Amherst. After relocating to the Waltham area in the early 1980's, he continued his graduate education by obtaining his M. Ed. in School Psychology from UMass Boston, followed by his Ed.S. in Behavioral Education from Simmons University, after which he received his Board Certified Behavior Analyst certificate.

Richard devoted his career to serving the needs of children and adults who experienced behavioral and emotional issues, whether in institutional or classroom settings, adult programs, or in the home. He began his career as a special education teacher in Western Massachusetts, then worked as a clinician at the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center in Waltham for many years followed by the Wrentham State School. Later in his career he was employed by Horace Mann Educational Associates and the Kids Are People Elementary School. He also consulted with several local school districts in recent years.

Richard was an avid Patriots fan and he continued to follow the amazing career of Tom Brady following his move to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In his spare time, Richard relished working in his yard, meticulously planting a variety of perennial bushes and shrubs that would provide color throughout the seasons. He and Susan enjoyed traveling and spent their honeymoon in Greece, visiting Athens and Mykonos. During multiple summer vacations over the years, they spent time on Cape Cod and traveled to California and explored the various regions of wine country, from Napa and Sonoma to the Sierra Foothills to Monterey/Carmel and the Paso Robles area.

Besides his loving wife, Richard is survived by his sister, Rose Jakubaszek and her partner Tom Goodwin, and his brother, Mikel Jaye, all of San Francisco, CA; and his brother-in-law, David Aucoin, of Waltham.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Duckett Funeral Home of J.S. Waterman & Sons, 656 Boston Post Road, Sudbury, on Saturday, January 22, from 2:00 to 4:00p.m. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Richard's memory to the Esophageal Cancer Action Network (ECAN), P.O. Box 243, Stevenson, MD 21153.