Richard William Hitch

Long time Mercer Island resident Richard William Hitch passed away in October. He was 82. Army Colonel Ken Hitch, Rich’s Dad, and his mother Helen named him after Richard William Wagner, the composer. Hence, his love for classical music. Rich grew up in Tacoma, attending Wilson High School. He attended college classes in his senior year of high school. A rarity then. He attended Berkeley in California and finished up at the University of Washington with his masters. He and his wife Deanna moved to Mercer Island in 1966. In 1972 they moved half a mile away to the top of First Hill into a “Seattle Bungalow” rescued from the path of I-5. Their house had been brought to Mercer Island across Lake Washington on a barge by Mercer Island’s first mailman Fred Nielsen, Rich taught for one year at Green River Community college. He worked five years at Boeing and then five years in King County Government but most of his working career was at Informix, a tech company. Stationed in Salt Lake City, he left Mercer Island on Monday morning and returned Friday night for 10 years.

With his accumulated air miles, he and Dee visited Europe several times, especially when daughter Teri, an Army nurse, was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany, The European travel was advantageous to Dee who was a wine steward for QFC for 20 years.

In the late 1970’s, Rich and Dee opened a cheese store on Mercer Island called That Cheese Place Where Art’s Was paying homage to Mercer Islander Art Case who owned the Art’s Food Centers. Their store featured cheeses from Europe which were not available in grocery stores. They were among the first to sell Starbucks coffee beans. Sandwiches, gift items, wines and the very popular frozen yogurt were available. The site: Island Market Square which included Carol’s Dress shop, Meredith’s Five and Dime, Starbucks, Dairy Queen and the iconic James Crosby became the Island Square apartments of today.

Among his volunteering, Rich most enjoyed coordinating the Mercer Island High School Ski Program. At one time 12 Greyhound buses left Mercer Island High School on Saturday morning filled with kids going skiing alternating between Crystal one week and Stevens the next. Rich ran the Ski Program for 10 years, so long that Debi and Teri, his daughters, graduated from students to chaperones.

Rich loved the water, owning a San Juan 24 sailboat named the Half Hitch which he raced on Lake Washington. In 1998, he and Dee purchased a cabin on the South Sound near the town of Belfair. It became a haven of fun for the whole family especially as Debi and Teri grew older and then had their own children: Sarah, Elise and Nick. Finally, It was significantly remodeled in 2015 and the adjacent property was purchased.

He is survived by his wife Dee; Debi Neyhart and Teri (Jonn) Trethewey, his daughters; Sarah, Elise and Nick, grandchildren.

There will be no services at his request,