Richard Chris Lundberg
October 12, 1945 ~ January 9, 2020
Richard died leaving behind many grief-stricken and heartbroken friends and family. He is survived by his beloved wife, Ann of almost 50 years. He had many relatives living in Fredonia, Jamestown and Buffalo, New York. More loved ones are scattered across the U.S. - California, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.
Richard graduated from Queens College New York with a B.A. in History (Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa) and a Masters in Education. He became a Junior High and Middle school teacher in 1968 in NYC. After nine years, his desire to help make a difference in the world plus his love of travel and languages drove him to change careers and join the Foreign Service and become a Diplomat with the United States Information Agency and the U.S. Department of State.
His overseas career took him to five different countries. He began as a Junior Officer in Warsaw, Poland in 1978 and moved on to be the Branch Public Affairs Officer in Poznan. For a history major, it was a memorable assignment because it encompassed the time of traditional Communist rule, the rise of Solidarity, the threat of Soviet invasion and the imposition of martial law. His next assignments were no less memorable but exciting, interesting and challenging in their own way. Richard then went on to Helsinki, Finland as an Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer. The next posting was to post-Ceausescu Bucharest, Romania as Information Officer. Then onward to Reykjavik, Iceland as the Public Affairs Officer. His last overseas posting was to Tallinn, Estonia as the Public Affairs Officer.
Richard's overseas postings were interspersed with Washington assignments. They include, but are not limited to: Program Officer for the U.S. Speakers Program in Eastern Europe, Office Director of the U.S. Society and Values Office, Bureau of International Information Programs (about three weeks after 9/11). It was followed by a Congressional (Pearson) Fellow with the Bureau of Human Resources and later as a Career Development Officer. He retired in 2005.
Richard's talent for learning the language of each country enabled him to have close personal relationships with all his contacts. His ability as a writer had also earned him many accolades throughout his career. He succeeded in his goals and came home knowing that he had made a difference and in addition had established friendships in each country that lasts until this day. The loss of Richard, with his kindness, great sense of humor, his loving personality, honesty, intellect and integrity, have left a gaping hole in our universe.
The Visitation will be on February 1, between 1 and 4 p.m. at Money and King Funeral Home, 171 West Maple Ave., Vienna, VA.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Salvation Army and the World Wildlife Fund in Richard's memory.
Interment will be at Nassau Knolls Cemetery, Port Washington, New York on Saturday, February 29 11:00 am.
To learn more about Richard and to share your thoughts with friends and family, a longer and more detailed version appears on the Tribute Wall section of Richard's page on this website moneyandking.com.
Richard graduated from Queens College New York with a B.A. in History (Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa) and a Masters in Education. He became a Junior High and Middle school teacher in 1968 in NYC. After nine years, his desire to help make a difference in the world plus his love of travel and languages drove him to change careers and join the Foreign Service and become a Diplomat with the United States Information Agency and the U.S. Department of State.
His overseas career took him to five different countries. He began as a Junior Officer in Warsaw, Poland in 1978 and moved on to be the Branch Public Affairs Officer in Poznan. For a history major, it was a memorable assignment because it encompassed the time of traditional Communist rule, the rise of Solidarity, the threat of Soviet invasion and the imposition of martial law. His next assignments were no less memorable but exciting, interesting and challenging in their own way. Richard then went on to Helsinki, Finland as an Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer. The next posting was to post-Ceausescu Bucharest, Romania as Information Officer. Then onward to Reykjavik, Iceland as the Public Affairs Officer. His last overseas posting was to Tallinn, Estonia as the Public Affairs Officer.
Richard's overseas postings were interspersed with Washington assignments. They include, but are not limited to: Program Officer for the U.S. Speakers Program in Eastern Europe, Office Director of the U.S. Society and Values Office, Bureau of International Information Programs (about three weeks after 9/11). It was followed by a Congressional (Pearson) Fellow with the Bureau of Human Resources and later as a Career Development Officer. He retired in 2005.
Richard's talent for learning the language of each country enabled him to have close personal relationships with all his contacts. His ability as a writer had also earned him many accolades throughout his career. He succeeded in his goals and came home knowing that he had made a difference and in addition had established friendships in each country that lasts until this day. The loss of Richard, with his kindness, great sense of humor, his loving personality, honesty, intellect and integrity, have left a gaping hole in our universe.
The Visitation will be on February 1, between 1 and 4 p.m. at Money and King Funeral Home, 171 West Maple Ave., Vienna, VA.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Salvation Army and the World Wildlife Fund in Richard's memory.
Interment will be at Nassau Knolls Cemetery, Port Washington, New York on Saturday, February 29 11:00 am.
To learn more about Richard and to share your thoughts with friends and family, a longer and more detailed version appears on the Tribute Wall section of Richard's page on this website moneyandking.com.
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Dear Ann Lundberg I hve fond memories of the time you and Richard served at Reykjavik. You were also my dear neighbors at Bergstaðastræti. My Condoances and may God be with you in this difficult timr. Sincerely, Anna Einarsdottir, Management Section, Retired.
Dearest Ann, There are never enough words to say how we feel about Richie’s passing, nor will there be enough time to do all we want to do for you, but we will do our very best to help you lighten your load fromRichie’s passing. Bob’s grandmother, Anna, and Richie’s grandmother, Emma, were sisters that came over on a boat from Sweden, along with sister’s Selma, and Mary. Anna married John A Prince, and had 8 children. Emma married Joe Volentine and had Edna-Richie’s mother. You can only imagine the happiness Richie felt going to Fredonia, Jamestown and Buffalo to visit his many cousins. Bob recalls that when the New York relatives were coming for a visit-it was like their Royal family was coming with Richie – the prince. A prince visiting the Prince’s! We are all so proud of Richie for leaving his teaching career to pursue his life’s dream of making a difference in the world. Wow! Did he ever accomplish his wildest dreams! In 1977 six of us visited you and Richie in Reykjavik, Iceland for 10 days an invitation from you and Richie. It was a once in a lifetime adventure for us. Everyday was an adventure ending our day with the ‘hot pot’ experience. It was the coolest experience ever! Thank you once again, Richie and Ann for making our stay so memorable. We will never forget it!Richie touched so many lives world wide with his compassionate, fun-loving nature, and deeply caring ways. May God be with you, Ann, in the following days, weeks and months ahead. We will be there for you ‘All your days’. Much love forever and always, Bob, Marcia and family.
Our family will never forget the hospitality and kindness you and Richie showed us when we visited Iceland some 20 years ago. We still talk about the “hot pot” in your backyard and the Blue Lagoon and your geothermal heating. The snowmobiling trip was so awesome we remember the views from atop the mountain we went up. Also the expedition in your neighbor’s behemoth vehicle our into the bitter cold countryside. And the Vatnajokull glacier that has erupted and spilled giant ice chunks washing out a bridge. Yes, you drove us all around the best waterfalls too. Recently you and Richie drove me around D.C. helping me to look for jobs during my unemployment stretch which was very appreciated. The lunch at an Asian restaurant was also your treat to me. You both are so loved and appreciated. Love, Steve Brown and family
Richard Chris Lundberg passed away on January 9, 2020. This single sentence does not begin to convey by any means the impact that this fact has had on those who love and miss him. To state it clearly so that people who never had the chance to know him and understand why he was special, is a daunting task.
Richard was raised in a complex and loving household – no traditional father figure but a Swedish family consisting of a single mom, a grandmother and Italian grandfather, an adult cousin and an aunt – most of them under one roof. I believe this atmosphere of loving warmth and kindness helped to shape his understanding of the world and his place in it. He went to college and graduated with honors and began a career as a school teacher. Not satisfied with his daily contribution to teach children in a school setting, he joined a volunteer tutoring project. He was then involved in tutoring small children in a church basement in Corona, Queens, NY on weekends. This was my first meeting with Richard and I got to see first hand his expertise as a teacher and his gentle way with the kids who thrived under his tutorage. When the project ended, Richard moved on to the next chapter in his life. After nine years of teaching, his interest and passionate following of world politics plus his fascination with different cultures, triggered his next move. His talent for and interest in languages, combined with his love of travel drove him to change careers and join the Foreign Service and become a Diplomat with the United States Information Agency and the U.S. Department of State.
His first posting was to Warsaw and then BPAO Poznan, Poland. In the heat of the rise of Solidarity and the threat of a Soviet invasion, martial law was imposed. Richard devised unique ways to get the message of VOA and their radio frequencies and other “forbidden” news items out to the general public. The Consulate had large glass display cases outside but safely within the fencing of the building. The well-lit bulletin boards were easily read by passersby. Richard filled the cases with information that might be censored but was now available to the local population. It was gratifying to see the crowds that would gather each day to see the latest bulletins. Of course the militia guard could not chase them away just for reading the notices. A militia guard was now stationed outside the gates of the Consulate. One day, as we looked out our 2nd floor window down at him, the guard looked left and right and then up at us and smiled and winked his support of us in spite of his uniform. Richard’s enthusiasm and support of “Let Poland be Poland” resulted in having a loyal and hard-working staff and friends till this day.
His next assignments were no less memorable but exciting, interesting and challenging in their own way. He went on to Helsinki, Finland, Bucharest, Romania, Reykjavik, Iceland, and last to Tallinn, Estonia. After he returned to the U.S. family and friends would ask the same question – “What was your favorite posting?” He quickly realized that it was impossible to choose because each had its own unique challenges, culture, high and lows of success and failure, deep friendships and sense of loss when it was time to move on. He could only say he loved them all.
On a personal level, Richard loved to cook and had a talent for creating new and interesting dishes with unique spice combinations. He was fearless and had no lack of confidence in creating a new and interesting dish to present to guests. While I might be concerned and thought that it would be prudent to try a dish on ourselves first, he persevered and succeeded to a tasty triumph. He enjoyed the exotic foods of all countries and could continue to do so once back in the U.S. because of the wide diversity of restaurants in the VA/DC area. There was a fine bakery in Tallinn, Estonia that made the best croissants. Of course, each week Richard would stop on the way to the office and buy them for the entire staff. It was a delicious way to start the day.
Another great interest and more than a hobby, was photography. Richard was an avid photographer and his assignments to those countries plus the opportunity to travel to neighboring nations, was a dream come true. His interest began in the dark ages of photography – f-stops, rolls of film, strips of negatives, slides and sets of glossy prints from the local drugstore. No digital ease of taking dozens of photos and just deleting the rejects. He excelled in taking photos from a fiery sunset to the snowy mountain tops to crowds on a busy street. In his offices and homes he had a changing gallery of his favorite photos.
Before the Foreign Service, his love of travel manifested itself plainly with the amount of places visited in and out of the U.S. He even relished the most tedious part of traveling – figuring out train/plane/bus/ship schedules, then choosing hotels and sights that would fit into his time frame. His goal was to maximize his vacation time to see and do as much as possible. His friends counted on him to organize even the most local trips such as to Montauk Point, NY.
Richard’s love and concern for all animals led him to support various charities benefitting creatures and their rights. As a youngster, he had a dog and then became a cat lover too. So much so that he adopted and rescued two adult cats from the threat of a kill shelter by the owner.
During his serving at these vastly different posts, he succeeded at his job while securing the loyalty and friendship of his staff. His character, sense of fairness, and ability to work alongside his staff, not always above them, resulted in a well run, pleasant work environment. To this day, his staff at each post has been in contact with him and when possible to be in the U.S., visited with Richard and his wife Ann. His positive impact has been considerable on each post served. His influence reached far and wide.
If you have read this far, you may be thinking that it is impossible for someone to have achieved what he had accomplished. Yes, there were glitches, mistakes and stumbles but the memoir you have read is true. That is why the universe is a sadder place today because he is not in it.
This was written by his widow Ann A. Lundberg.
Please continue checking the following websites in the next few months for more information about Richard and to share your thoughts.
STATEMAG.STATE.GOV
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Wow, Ann. You have written this memoir perfect- leaving nothing left unsaid. We are proud of Richie’s accomplishments, with you being his biggest fan to help him accomplish his goals. He would thank you himself if he could. We as his family are honored to be his relative. Thanks again , Ann, for all you have done to keep Richie with us in spirit for all our lives. Great Job. We are all proud of you, and will be there for you the best we can. Much love and gratitude for you always, Dearest Ann, from Bob, Marcia and family.
This is beautiful, Ann. Thank you for sharing these warm and wonderful memories.
Boy! Were we all tied up with Solidarnosc or what in the early 1980s. I remember Richard going against Polish army tanks in his efforts to keep track of the Poznan riots against the communist regime. We talked on our radio lines to the west, constantly violatinig the protocol and getting overridden by soviet Jamming. I don;t remember our call signs, but the wholeexperience was hairy and tons of fun. And exhausing….
Anybody who knew Richard could not help but like him. My late wife, Sally, and I met Richard and Ann in Warsaw, then visited them in Poznan and Helsinki. What a glorious time the four of us had telling tales and laughing…a staple of the Lundberg household. Our backgrounds and personalities were remarkably different. That aside, we has a friendship that lasted lifetimes. I was on occasion amazed when visiting Richard in Virginia (between our overseas postings) to find friends of his visiting from places such as Romania or Iceland. It showed not just a professional connection he had with people but a personal connection as well. I envied him for this. After our retirements, we separated geographically, but the friendship continued with visits and calls. When Sally passed, Richard and Ann were at Arlington to support me. Later when I visited her grave, I looked forward to lunch with the Lundbergs at the Silver Diner. Richard is gone and I shall miss him, but when I visit Arlington this summer and summers to follow I will meet Ann at the same Silver Diner and we will tell tales and laugh….and talk about Richard.
A life so well lived! We will all miss Mr. Lundberg, and you (!) Ms. Lundberg! Our deepest condolences and sympathies to you. Both of you are/were such fighters! Janice and all the staff at VHC
Remembering Richard I first met Richard almost 51 years ago when we were teachers at JHS 123 in the Bronx. I am glad to say that we maintained a friendship for all these years. I think it would be comforting to remember that Richard really had a well-lived life. He had a loving mother and family and took a lot of pleasure in this. He often mentioned the trips he took with his mom, friends and other relatives. Of course he had a long and happy marriage to Ann and they also traveled around the world together. I know that they particularly liked cruises. I often told Richard that most people had never traveled as much as the Lundbergs. Richard had an exciting, interesting and challenging career in the U.S. Foreign Service and served in 5 different countries: Poland, Finland, Romania, Iceland and Estonia. It should be mentioned that he had to learn the language of each nation that he was being posted to. Richard’s intelligence and amiability made him well-suited to be a diplomat. Richard and Ann lived for many years in a large and comfortable home in Vienna, Virginia and had a good social life there. They enjoyed going out with friends to restaurants in the area. At Christmas, Richard and Ann visited the various Christmas fairs in the Washington, D.C. area. Richard liked to have fun. When we were teachers he would organize a day trip for his friends and we would all call in sick and travel to a local area. He often would organize a trip to a Manhattan restaurant to mark the beginning or end of our summer vacation. I still remember him making Pina Coladas at the apartment in Corona. So, despite his health problems, I think that Richard had a good life. In his last years he faced his problems with courage. Ann is to be commended for all the efforts she made to care for him in his last years. She was an effective advocate for Richard. I am thankful for knowing Richard all these years and I do miss him a lot!
Richard and I became acquainted on our first day of school as young teachers at Junior High School 123 in the Bronx. We met in what is now ancient times: September 1969, and soon we became friends and remained close friends for almost fifty years. At JHS 123 and later at IS 174, we got together almost every morning before the school day began to talk about our school experiences, some good and some dreadful, and anything else of interest. We were working together at IS 174 when Richard interviewed for a job in the foreign service. The following school year Richard and Ann, now in the foreign service, left New York to live in Northern Virginia and then Poland, Finland, Romania, Iceland and finally Estonia. While we were often separated by great distances, our friendship remained strong and undiminished in part because Richard and Ann valued friendship as much if not more than career. So, there were always a constant stream of telephone calls from Virginia and extraordinarily detailed, vivid and lively letters jointly written by Richard and Ann from posts abroad. Richard really fit the definition of a true friend–a friend who made you a part of his daily life. I was fortunate to be included in his mother’s wonderful Christmas get togethers first at her home in Bayside, Queens and later in Toms River, New Jersey. The Christmas Eve dinner always included delicious Swedish dishes as well as Richard’s mom’s memorable rich pudding. Most importantly, at these festive gatherings I got to meet and know Richard’s Uncle Herbert and close family friends–May and Malcolm. In more recent years Richard and Ann continued the Christmas tradition with great food and close friends at their home in Northern Virginia. I did not come empty handed to these Christmas gatherings, but I usually brought with me what I consider the Bronx’s best export: an S and S cheese cake fresh from the cheese cake factory located two blocks from the roar of the one train at 38th street and Broadway. S and S cheese cake came in only two sizes, small which was large, and large which was the size of an enormous pizza. Of course, I always brought the large. Long before Ann and Richard moved to the Washington area to begin a new life, I regularly visited them at their apartment in Queens, New York–often with a fellow teacher and mutual friend–Bruce Burgeson where we spent the evening talking about work, our friends and co-workers, the state of the world and anything else that interested us. All our conversations were laced with humor and plenty of laughter. We had great fun–usually unwinding after a challenging week of teaching. Of course, we always had great meals at the Lundberg residence as well as superb deserts–especially if Ann baked one of her delicious cakes. I sometimes brought with me a banana cream pie from a wonderful retail outlet long gone called “Four and Twenty Pie.” Occasionally, at these get togethers, one of Richard’s oldest friends from high school and college, Richard Lucy, joined us. Lucy was very smart, articulate, clever, really funny and riveting in his passionate conversation. I consider myself blessed to be able to call Richard Lundberg my friend. In an imperfect world, he was the perfect friend: smart, well read, verbally gifted, funny, wise and fascinating to talk to especially when he regaled you with stories of his travel experiences which were extensive and ambitious. He loved to plan trips almost as much as he enjoyed traveling. In fact, when we were teaching together at JHS 123, we would occasionally take days off–we called them mental health days. Richard would turn these days into wonderful day trips to places like Philadelphia, Wilmington, and even Totenville, Staten Island. At each destination, Richard would find for us interesting local activities to do and the finest local restaurants in which to eat. These day trips became so popular at JHS 123 that other teachers pleaded with us to be allowed to join us on these excursions. While these day trips were wonderful and memorable, what stands out the most in my mind about Richard was his wisdom coupled with genuine concern for others—especially his friends. He was a true ally in a difficult world. As unique as a fingerprint, he cannot be replaced. I will honor his memory daily.
Oftentimes back in high school days, our classes done, whenever my friend Rich and I shared a road home, he’d teach me histories of all he’d learned, since we’d last shot the breeze. Proud of his Swedish heritage, he told me once a tale of old Swedish justice. A man had been accused of beating his wife with a live eel. The judge sternly listened to the case, and penalized the man with a stiff fine, having found him guilty of cruelty to the eel. Tears in his eyes, rich persuaded me with his laughter that this was very funny. Richard Lundberg was a good person, and that is not an easy thing to be. I think I understand what, in part, enabled him. He recognized and accepted that it takes not only a long and winding road, with all its treacheries and happenstance, to ripen the way for goodness in a human being, but a sense of humor as well, to midwife our redemptions. Richard was a good person because, not least of all, he helped us redeem what justice may be found through our humanity, by helping us to know when, why, and how to laugh. On behalf of that poor wife, and that poor eel, for whose griefs I so came to care, this will live on in the memory of my friend.