KATHLEEN RICH

1931 - 2021

Kathleen Rich  
An Asian art historian and devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, died on July 28, 2021. She lived at Leisure World of Maryland with her husband of 66 years, Bob Rich. She and her husband had lived in Japan and in the United Kingdom, and had traveled widely around the world. The cause of death was complications from pancreatic cancer.  Kathleen O'Toole Rich was born on September 4, 1931 in New Haven, Connecticut. She spent her childhood in New Haven and Orange, Connecticut. After graduating from Connecticut College with a degree in European history she moved to Washington, DC to work for the former Armed Forces Security Agency, the predecessor to the National Security Agency (NSA), in Arlington, Virginia, where she met her husband, Robert E. Rich. They were married in 1955 and had three children. The family lived on Lowell Street in Washington, DC and later in Rock Creek Hills in Kensington, Maryland. Kathleen was an active member and secretary of the Washington Guitar Society. She studied classical guitar with noted guitarist Sophocles Papas. From 1968 to 1971, the family lived in Japan where Kathleen began to explore Japanese art and culture, and began a life-long passion that later led her to be a docent for over 20 years at the Smithsonian's Freer and the Sackler Galleries of Asian Art. Kathleen was also employed for several years with the Congressional Information Service in the early 1980s. Bob served as Deputy Director of NSA, and he and Kathleen later lived in London, 1986 to 1990, and traveled throughout Europe. The Riches traveled extensively throughout Asia as well. Kathleen's belief in the importance of higher education manifested itself in her generous support of her grandchildren's college educations. Kathleen is survived by her husband Bob and three children, Christopher Rich (Lori) of Great Falls, Virginia; Catherine Rich of Rockville, Maryland; and John Rich (Donna) of Frederick Maryland; a brother, Kenneth O'Toole of Boulder, Colorado; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. In accordance with her wishes, her body has been donated for medical research and education. A memorial gathering of family and friends will be arranged at a later date.