Richard T. Churchill Jr.

Born on July 6, 1955, in Fort Worth, Texas, Richard devoted his life to caring for others—both as a gifted nurse/certified care manager and as a compassionate human being whose kindness touched everyone around him.

From a young age, Richard knew he was meant to be a nurse. He cared deeply about people—family, friends, colleagues, patients, and even strangers. It was said he “never met a stranger”. Whether he met someone once or knew them for years, he treated each person with the same warmth, respect, and empathy. He also had a profound love for animals, great and small, which inspired him to become a docent at the Houston Zoo. For a decade he offered his time interacting with visitors while handling small animals, answering questions, and educating others.

Richard graduated from Southwest High School in Fort Worth, Texas and continued his education at Texas A&M University in College Station before earning his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas Health–Houston. He served as a registered Nurse for 35 years and was certified in the field of cardiovascular care at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in Houston. He remained there for 11 years, during critical pioneering years in heart transplantation. In the 1980s he provided home-based care at the height of the AIDS crisis—a time when compassion and courage were desperately needed. His colleagues often described him as one of the best nurses they had ever worked with. He later became a Certified Case Manager (CCM), a role he served in with distinction at Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, Tarrytown, NY, St. Luke’s/Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh, NY and Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) University Hospital in Charleston, SC.

After moving from Texas to New York and being committed to one another for 16 years, Richard married Linda Ruggiero in St. Anthony’s Church in Schenectady, NY on October 11, 2008. He was a loving and dedicated spouse. Richard and Linda loved to travel, from camping to a fabulous European river cruise. Truly, every trip large or small was a cherished adventure.

Nowhere could Richard’s selflessness and dedication to others be seen than in his treatment of family. He made countless personal sacrifices to care for his father, and later, his mother-in-law, giving over 10 years of his life to support Linda’s mother in her final years. For her, he was not just a son-in-law, but a source of unwavering comfort, devotion, and strength.

In his leisure time, Richard was on the golf course every opportunity he had. If he wasn’t there, he was in his garden, endlessly caring and for his plants and roses, producing a beautiful garden retreat that even neighbors enjoyed viewing from their windows. He loved snow skiing and scuba diving across the Caribbean, Mexico, and St. Maarten. His favorite travel designations were Sint Maarten and Santa Fe, NM, particularly the Puye Cliff dwellings. His charisma, humor, intelligence and genuine delight in others made him unforgettable. He had a gift for brightening any room he entered. He loved music, dancing, and meeting new people. If there was music, Richard would be dancing.

Richard truly loved life and lived each day to the fullest. He was a fearless fighter with a smile, and always positive. Richard was charismatic, energetic, inquisitive, delightful, funny, intelligent, caring, and a vibrant personality whose spirit was contagious, and everyone enjoyed being around. A bright light who faded much too soon.

Richard is survived by his loving wife, Linda E. Churchill; siblings Sandra Lawhon (Hunter), Mary Warren (Doug), Laura Flaherty, and Stephen Churchill; Aunt Doris Hohman; Aunt Carol Churchill; several cousins, nieces, and nephews. He is preceded in death by his brothers Michael T. Churchill and Robert E. Churchill, and by his parents Richard T. Churchill and Jean A. Jacobs Bingham.

Richard’s life was defined by compassion, service, and love. His bright spirit, generous heart, and unwavering kindness will forever live on in the countless lives he touched. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hope Lodge NYC, Attn: Lorraine Katt, 132 W. 32nd Street, NYC, NY 10001 or www.cancer.org/hopelodgenycdonate Or Houston Zoo, Inc, Development Office, 1513 Cambridge St., Houston, Texas 77030 or www.houstonzoo.org/support/houston-zoo-fund/

Relatives and friends of Richard Churchill, Jr., are invited to attend his Mass of Christian Burial at 11am, Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 3871 Bety Kerrison Parkway, Johns Island, SC 29455.