Richard Federighi

On June 7, 2022 Richard "Rick" Federighi passed away peacefully at the age of 77, after a years-long fight with a rare blood cancer. He was pre-deceased by his wife, Jeanne and is survived by his son, Mark Federighi (Risa), his daughter Gina Snyder (Dave) and four grandchildren, Gabe, Gianna, Owen and Alex.

Rick's life was marked by his passions which intersected with his love for connecting with others. He loved doo-wop music and was a drum player in a successful band in his teenage years. After graduating from Serra High School, he went to college and became a junior-high teacher. He spent over 40 years inspiring kids in the classroom, primarily as a social studies teacher at Ralston Middle School, where he earned the distinction of Educator of the Year. He was popular with his students and had a knack for making learning fun. When not in the classroom, he could often be found connecting with others in many ways. He was a decades-long member of the Elk's Club and spent time bar-tending and chatting with the patrons at his father's bar, The Annex. He loved spending time at the smoke shop sharing a cigar among friends and he had a passion for buying and selling classic cars. He frequented weekend car shows and often headed out on a drive to the Santa Cruz shore, most recently in his dune-buggy. He was a great cook and sharing a meal was one of his favorite ways to connect with friends and family, especially when it was a batch chicken cacciatore or cioppino, a Federighi family tradition. Wherever you might find him, he shared stories and life lessons wrapped in humor and kindness. Rick had an unprecedented way of connecting with people; he was charming, engaging, and easy going. A life well lived… well loved.

He was a remarkable husband, dad and grandfather. Whether you knew him as dad, Nonno, brother, uncle, friend, or "Mr. Federighi", you knew Rick was good-natured, quick-witted, and had a positive outlook on life. He genuinely cared about others, gave encouraging advice, and was blessed with a gift for writing and conversation. Nothing was more important to him than family, especially when at a dinner table filled with great food and a bottle of wine.

To say he will be missed is an understatement - his death leaves a hole in our hearts and in our lives.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Rick's name to NORD at https://rarediseases.org/donate/