Richard A. Dias

Richard A. Vas Dias, 86, of Topton, formerly of Kempton, passed away on Friday, August 8, 2025 at his residence. Richard was born in Manhattan, New York, on May 2, 1939, and spent his childhood in Queens, graduating from Resurrection-Ascension School (1953) and St. John's Preparatory School, Brooklyn (1957). He attended St. Francis College (now University), in Loretto, Pennsylvania, interrupting his education to serve on active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps from 1961 to 1966. After that five-year hitch in the Marines, including 18 months training as a Naval Aviator, carrier duty, and 13 months in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, he returned to St. Francis, graduating as an English teacher in May 1968. That month, he also married his beloved wife, Bernadette Susan Branas, daughter of Adolph and Nellie (nee Golden) Branas, of Portage, PA. He won a two-year teaching assistantship at Lehigh University, and he and his new bride moved to the Lehigh valley, where they remained for 54 years. The couple settled in Kempton, raising two children Peter (b. 1970) and Rosalynde (b.1976), gardening organically and raising chickens, pigs, and beef. Richard secured a position as English teacher at Southern Lehigh High School, where he taught for 26 years, advising the student newspaper for 15. He also stayed in the Marine Corps Reserve, retiring as a major in1978. He is survived by wife, Bernadette (nee Branas) Vas Dias; children, Peter Andre of Slatington and Rosalynde Ann of Providence, RI; sister, Joanne Thelen of Garden City, NY; grandchildren, Logan and Gabriel. In 1996, he retired from Southern Lehigh, but continued to teach literature, composition, and mentor student teachers as an adjunct at Kutztown University. He taught one year at Northampton Community College and earned certification to teach English as a Second Language (ESL), at the Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit, which he continued to do at Lehigh-Carbon Community College until 2010. Richard's second love was music: He was organist and choir director at Jerusalem (Red) Union Church, Kempton, and St. Peter's Union Church, Lynnville, for fifteen years and at St. John's UCC, Laurys Station for five years. Richard was active in all his pursuits. He was a 15-year member of PSEA Professional Rights and Responsibilities Commission. In that role, he traveled throughout Pennsylvania, serving on ethics hearing boards. In his role as newspaper adviser, he served on the state Board of the Pennsylvania School Press Association, judging newspapers and conducting workshops statewide. He was a lifetime Emeritus member of the board. He is also a life member of the Marine Corps League, Bethlehem Detachment 284. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11:00 am. Monday, August 18, 2025 at St. Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Church, 1879 Applewood Drive, Orefield. The Reverend (Fr.) John Gibbons, a former student of Richard's, will be the celebrant. Family and friends may pay their respects from 9:30 am. – 11:00 am. prior to the mass. Military honors accorded by the U.S. Marine Corps will immediately follow the mass. Interment will be at St. Bartholomew's Cemetery in Wilmore, PA. The Heintzelman Funeral Home, Inc., in Schnecksville has been entrusted with the arrangements. Online expressions of sympathy may be recorded at www.heintzelmancares.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Marine Corps League, Bethlehem Chapter c/o the funeral home, P.O. Box #196, Schnecksville, PA 18078-0196.