Rich DeCamp

Rich DeCamp of Indianapolis departed this life on Saturday, October 31st, 2026. He passed peacefully while situated in his favorite spot in the living room, with the IU football game on, and was surrounded by friends and family who loved him beyond measure. We should all be so lucky.

Richard James DeCamp was born February 22, 1949, in Cincinnati to the late James Lambert and Cecilia (Gramaglia) DeCamp. He was a graduate of Brebeuf High School (Class of ’67) where he lettered in baseball and football. He then attended Indiana University where he earned his degree in History and played on the freshman football team in the 1967 season. While at IU, Rich was also a member of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. But it was Brebeuf, the birthplace of so many remarkable and enduring friendships, that would always hold a special piece of Rich’s heart. He proudly served as president of the Alumni Association for years and continued to support the school right until his passing.

Rich is survived by his wife of 49 years, Mona DeCamp; his eternally grateful sons, Ben and Richie DeCamp; beloved grandson Fletcher DeCamp; dear siblings, Jimmy (Charlotte) DeCamp, JoAnn (Aurelio Ruiz) DeCamp, Danny (Ana) DeCamp and Susan (Dan Wells) DeCamp; several nieces and nephews, and an endless host of cousins and lifelong friends.

Shortly after college, Rich and his brother Jim opened a Pasquale's Pizza franchise (part of a chain founded by their uncle, Pat "Pasquale" Gramaglia and brought to Indy from Cincinnati by parents Jim and Cecilia) in Greenwood before going on to open one of downtown Indy’s most innovative restaurants of the early 1980s, J. Pierpont's. As a joint venture with Rich's friends Leo Stenz and Herb Simon, Pierpont's was a key player in the big push to help reinvigorate nightlife in downtown Indy at the time and help to lure an NFL franchise to the city. After his restaurant ventures, Rich sought further entrepreneurial opportunities by purchasing two cleaning companies which he ran until his retirement in 2022.

Rich was as genuine and humble as they come, the absolute blueprint for living without ego. He was also hilarious, and kind, and he had an enormous heart, always putting others first, even as he was dying of cancer. Famous for his deep-seated disdain for BS, Rich would not want much fuss made over his passing. On several occasions, he went on the record with comments such as, "When I'm gone just stuff me in a pine box and toss me in a dumpster. It won't matter to me, I'll be dead!” But now that he is dead and we aren't, we get to make the rules and our plan is to celebrate his life on Saturday, November 14th at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School with memorial visitation from 11:00am-1:00pm, followed by services at 1:30pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School for the Rich DeCamp ‘67 Memorial Scholarship by visiting www.brebeuf.org/give