YURKO, Richard J. "Rich" On October 31, 2024. Born in Ottawa, Canada, on October 30, 1953, son of Michael and Catherine Yurko both deceased; and the fourth of six children, Rich and his family emigrated to the United States in 1960 to Levittown (now Willingboro), New Jersey. Following graduation from Levittown High School, Rich attended Dartmouth College, graduating in 1975 summa cum laude and was a member of both Casque & Gauntlet and Phi Beta Kappa societies. Rich graduated from Harvard University Law School in 1979, serving as an Editor for the Harvard Civil Rights - Civil Liberties Law Review and taking an interim year off to serve as Assistant Dean of Freshmen at Dartmouth College. Rich's legal career included a clerkship with United States District Court Judge James Lawrence King, Southern District of Florida, followed by a litigation law practice with Bingham, Dana & Gould, Widett, Slater & Goldman and Hutchins, Wheeler & Dittmar. Rich went on to establish the firm of Yurko, Salvesen & Remz, followed by Yurko Partners P.C. in 2020 and served as counsel to Syntheon LLC since 2021. Rich spent over a decade on the board of directors of GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD), including two years as President of the GLAD board. Additionally, as a member of the United States Supreme Court Bar, he was in court when GLAD's Mary Bonauto successfully argued the constitutional right for marriage equality before the high court. Rich is survived by his partner, Jianhua Shi; his former wife, Martha Faigen; his son, Nathan Yurko and wife, Jianyuan Hua; and son, Daniel Yurko. He also leaves behind his granddaughter, Chloe; his brother, Allen Yurko and wife, Gayle Yurko; and sisters, Donna Andersen, Janice Peritz, Patricia Dekin and husband, Gary Dekin and Linda Schumacher and husband, Donovan Schumacher; as well as many loving nieces and nephews. Funeral Services will be held on Monday, November 18, at 11 AM, at Church of Our Savior, 25 Monmouth Street, Brookline, Massachusetts. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to GLAD, 18 Tremont Street, Suite 950, Boston, MA 02108 or [email protected]

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Published by Boston Globe from Nov. 7 to Nov. 8, 2024.

Memories and Condolences
for RICHARD YURKO

5 Entries

Lois Covert Brown

October 31, 2025

So sorry to hear of Rich´s passing He was always pleasant to talk to. He will surely be missed. Thanks Rich for all the beautiful pics of yur many trips. My condolences to yur Family. Sincerely, Lois Covert Brown, 1971 JFKHS Classmate/Friend

Shaoyu and Chihsheng

November 17, 2024

We will always remember you, Rich. When we first moved to Boston, you invited us to your dinner party, showed us your alma mater, introduced us to GLAD, and gave us a community to feel belonging to. Thank you for your friendship.

Sherrye Weinstein, JFKHS Class of '71

November 14, 2024

Richard was our class President at John F. Kennedy High School in Willingboro, NJ. He obviously was an intelligent guy with vision, even then.

He was such a sweet person. I had always hoped to run into him and J in Provincetown, MA, or in Ogunquit, ME, as we were often staying in those towns at about the same time. I never even ran into him in Boston. However, I feel lucky that I had a chance to talk to him at our JFKHS reunion in Willingboro in 2022, which had been delayed a year due to COVID. There was NOBODY like him. He was not only congenial, but kind, sweet, and compassionate, and welcoming to everyone at that reunion.

To J, and to the rest of the family...I am so sorry for your loss.

Leon & Michael

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Bruce and Bill

November 8, 2024

We will always remember your smile, funny jokes, great food, and fun parties. I loved the wonderful trips in Breakfast on the Connecticut, which was filled with friends and laughter. I will always remember the fort lauderdale trip and the crazy motorboat trip in Key Largo. We cherish your friendship and mentorship. We thank you for your dedication and effort to GLAD and LGBTQ.

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