Obituary of Richard John Piper

Richard J. Piper, 78, of Cocoa Beach Florida, formerly from Rome, New York, passed away on Thursday, October 13th, 2022, at Cape Canaveral Hospital, after a courageous battle with cancer. Richard was born in Ilion, NY on December 19, 1943, Son of Robert Piper and Frances Lacy Piper. He graduated from Notre Dame High School, class of 1961, and graduated from Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA, with a BSBA on May, 8, 1993. On June 11, 1966, Richard married Kathleen Pace in St. John the Baptist Church, Rome, N.Y. in what was to become a blessed 56 year journey. Richard was a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army National Guard and was honorably discharged on February 28, 1979. Richard began an over 50-year career in the airline industry at Mohawk Airlines in 1961 as a clerk and later advanced to the position of Link Training Instructor, and finally as Career School Director. In 1974, Richard and his family moved to Jamestown, NY, where he was employed with Chautauqua Airlines as Director of Flight Operations, leaving as Vice President of Flight Operations in 1984 to join US Air in Pittsburgh, PA as Director of Contract Training. Richard retired from US Airways, as Division Controller – Flight Operations in 2014. Surviving in addition to his wife Kathleen, of Cocoa Beach, Florida are his son Richard J. (Katie) Piper of Orlando, Florida, and daughter Sheryl Lin Davis, of Cape Canaveral, Florida. The couple had four grandchildren, Jacob Davis, Dylan, Brooke, and Derek Piper, and one great granddaughter, Elli Joy Davis. A mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, October 29, at 10:30 AM, at Our Savior Catholic Church, in Cocoa Beach Florida. Interment will be in the Our Savior Memorial Garden. Donations may be made in his name to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Arrangements have been entrusted to Beckman-Williamson Funeral Homes and Crematory, Cocoa Beach, Florida, (321) 635-1985.