Obituary of Richard J. Bartolomea

LtCol Richard "Dick" Bartolomea, USMC (Ret), 71, of Boalsburg, died May 18, 2017 at the Mount Nittany Medical Center. Born June 14, 1945 in Toluca, IL, Dick was the son of the late Jim and Liz (Silvestri) Bartolomea. On December 30, 1967, he married his high school sweetheart, Julia Frey, at St. Rose of Lima Church in York, PA. They celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary this past December. Dick leaves behind four children: Major Richard "Bart" Bartolomea, USMC (Ret.) and his wife Ariana of Chesterfield, NJ, LtCol Bill Bartolomea, USMC and his wife Michele of Virginia Beach, VA, Kelly Campbell and her husband Michael of Crystal Bay, NV, and Jim Bartolomea of San Diego, CA. He was also the proud Paw-Paw of four grandchildren: Christopher, Nicholas, Aurora, and J.D., and a loving brother to Beth Morgan and her husband Bud of Vienna, VA and Mary Sue Miranda and her husband Sam of Silver Spring, MD. Dick graduated from York Catholic High School in 1963 where he played baseball, football and captained the basketball team. He received his Bachelors Degree in History from Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, MD in 1967 and his Masters Degree in Education from Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA in 1976. He served in the United States Marine Corps as an Infantry Officer, the highlights of which included leading Marines as a platoon commander with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines (3/4) in Vietnam; as a company commander with 3/1; and as a Marine Officer Instructor at Penn State University. He eventually earned the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His final assignment in the Marine Corps was as the assistant Professor of Naval Science for the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Penn State, where he retired in 1993 after 26 years of service to his country. He then served as the Director of Penn State Sports Camps until his retirement from the university in 2013. Dick loved golf, walking faster than most people run, jogging faster than most people sprint, any type of bread, Freestone Golf Course (now Skytop Mountain Golf Course), college basketball, his dog Blue, M&M's with almonds, and Miller Lite. Through his professional and volunteer work as a Marine Corps officer, Director of Penn State Sports Camps, basketball coach, referee and CCD teacher he fed his true passion of mentoring and leading young people. A public memorial service will be held on Friday, June 2, 2017 at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in State College, PA at 10:30am. There will be a memorial reception at the Pegula Ice Arena on the Penn State University campus at 1:00pm. Burial will be in the Boalsburg Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the Bartolomea family requests donations are made in Dick's honor to the Semper Fi Fund at semperfifund.org. Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/kochFH.