Richard J. Sebastian

1944 - 2021

Richard J. Sebastian, a loving father, devoted husband, and loyal friend to many, passed away from complications of an experimental heart procedure at the age of 75 on Sunday, February 14, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. He would have celebrated his 76th birthday on Saturday February 20, 2021. Rich was born in East Chicago, Indiana on February 20, 1944 to the late James Sebestyen and Bess Doctor (Szabo). Richard served his country proudly as a helicopter pilot and Blue Ghost in the Vietnam War. Rich's career in the flooring industry spanned over 45 years until his retirement in 2017. He was a proud and active member of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association and the VFW. He was an avid golfer and enjoyed bowling. Richard loved to travel, and he made his way to most every place he was interested from the top of the world to the bottom, from safari in South Africa to a road rally across Europe to a cruise around the tip of South America and, most recently, India and Nepal. Richard is survived by his children, Lisa Sebastian (Chicago, Ill.), Kevin Jones and his wife Olivia Bucher (Denver, Colo.) and Holly Baldwin (Shelbyville, Ky.); and his grandchildren, Morgen Baldwin, Andrew Jones, Seth Sebastian Lohr, Maxwell Sebastian Hoff, and Craig Bucher; as well as great-grandsons, Luca and Carsyn Jones. He was preceded in death by his son, Brian J. Sebastian, in 2000 and his beloved wife of 29 years, Mary (Jones), in 2018. Family services will be held Friday and Saturday (February 26 and 27, 2021), at Waite & Son Funeral Home in Medina. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association Scholarship Fund either online or via mail: Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, 1601 E Lamar Blvd., Suite 117, Arlington, TX 76011, 800-505-8472 or www.vhpa.org Online condolences may be left at www.waitefuneralhome.com