Dr. Richard Berchan

Dr. Richard Berchan 1924 ~ 2004  Richard Berchan passed away on November 5th in the presence of his two daughters, Juana and Monica, their mother Mary Gracia, and his son-in-law Eddie Bridges. We would like to thank his long-time companion Jacqueline Giry for her love and support. He will always be remembered by family and friends for his generosity, gentle spirit, eloquence, wit, and great gift for friendship. Richard was born in Brussels, Belgium, became a citizen of the U.S., and served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He received his Bachelor's Degree from Brooklyn College, and his Ph.D. in French Literature from New York's Columbia University. He taught at Vassar College and Michigan State University prior to moving his family to Utah  to accept a tenured position at the University of Utah, where he worked until his retirement. He was an internationally recognized scholar and critic, having published seminal work on the poet Paul Claudel as well as St John Perse. Richard loved the arts, especially the theater, and organized several local French productions. He hosted annual summer programs in southern France where American students could earn graduate credits by participating in French theater. His gift for inspiring enthusiasm and passion among students made him a wonderful teacher. He was loved and appreciated by graduate students, who considered his mentoring invaluable. To them, he was not just a mentor who guided them to successful careers, but also a person of enormous generosity and warmth. Richard enjoyed taking walks with the family dogs, and had a special love for his cat, Princess. He loved creative cooking, classical music and opera. He enjoyed serenading his family with the accordion. He gave us the gift of knowing that we were always loved, or in his words, "I will love you forever." Richard was preceded in death by his sister Elise, and is survived by his brother Paul. A private family memorial will be scheduled for a later date. In lieu of flowers, a donation in his memory may be made to either the local  Alzheimer's Association or  Wasatch Humane in Bountiful, Utah. Condolences may be sent to:  berchanfamily@xmission.com.