Richard L. Weiner

Richard Lee Weiner of Kent, Ohio, a loving and dedicated family man, writer, educator, scholar, attorney, and musician, died unexpectedly at his home on April 5, 2025. He was 73.

As you read about his accomplishments and contributions, you will learn that Richard did not waste a day. He went above and beyond for any individual who had the pleasure of meeting him, and the phrase “larger than life” does not do Richard justice. He will be missed greatly by his family, his peers, and the many communities he enriched along his journey.

He was born June 8, 1951, in Ashtabula, Ohio, to Robert and Rhoda (Swartz) Weiner and spent his childhood there, graduating from Harbor High School in 1969. Richard kept the Class of ‘69 near and dear to his heart, frequently joining their class reunions and keeping in touch with the graduates.

He attended The Ohio State University but left school to become an actor. He lived in New York City for several years, occasionally appearing in off-off Broadway productions before returning to Northeast Ohio. He participated in community theater while attending Kent State University's Ashtabula branch, starring in several productions. He traveled to Colorado and attended Arapahoe Community College in the Greater Denver area before graduating summa cum laude from Ohio University with a bachelor's degree in 1981. Among the many stories he told about his college years, his favorite was to mention that while at Ohio U, he took a course from the poet Alan Ginsberg.

While living in Colorado, he had a chance to fulfill a lifelong dream of appearing in a film, where he was an extra in the 1976 movie The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox, with Goldie Hawn. He also loved cooking and got his start while serving as a short-order chef in Atlanta, Phoenix, Boulder, and wherever he landed.

He received his Juris Doctorate from Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law in 1984, and practiced law, first in Ashtabula and then in Cleveland for several years. He was an adjunct professor at Kent State University's main campus, taught Paralegal Studies, and was also in the English Department until retiring. He was a substitute teacher for Kent Roosevelt High School. He developed and taught courses in legal research and writing, legal ethics, domestic relations, intro to paralegal studies, and many more. Author of a legal writing textbook for paralegals published and used by West Publishing for their paralegal online course.

He was a legal and staff writer for Akron Legal News, The Daily Legal News in Mahoning County, and Portage Legal News, specializing in technology law. He was also a freelance writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Akron Beacon Journal, and various other online law and technology magazines. He was a legal technology columnist, legal AI trainer, law firm website developer, and content provider to many. He also contributed to numerous FindLaw articles on forming LLCs and various other topics, all of which have been legally peer-reviewed and published. In total, he wrote for 43 years and over two million words on technology law. From the late 90s on, he was a freelance writer for Crain's Cleveland Business Magazine. He had the opportunity to interview Hall of Fame NBA Coach Larry Brown about the Akron Wingfoots from the Goodyear Basketball League.

A guitar virtuoso since his college years, Richard found joy in playing in his downtime. When his children heard his guitar in the house, they knew he was taking a break from work for the day. Fast forward to 2017, he founded and was one-half of the blues group R&D Duo (Richard Weiner and Doug Bender), playing at several area venues and festivals from then until 2023. Traveling all over Ohio, playing in festivals, dives, venues, and more. He participated in many local open mic nights. He once opened for a main act at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland.

He was a sports fanatic. Even though his parents were from Pittsburgh, PA, and he grew up in Northeast Ohio, he very much supported the following teams: The Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Guardians, and Browns. And, of course, The Ohio State Buckeyes.

Richard was a devoted Buddhist practitioner who dedicated his life to cultivating mindfulness, compassion, and wisdom. He was particularly inspired by the way buddhadharma was expressed in the arts. He studied at Naropa University in Colorado. He helped open meditation centers in Akron and Cleveland and led retreats across the country on mindfulness.

He married Rosalie Nancy Smallwood on March 28, 1986, in Ashtabula. Nancy and Richard had four children and three grandchildren. Richard made an impact on each of his four children. He supported each of them, whether that was in the garden, in the kitchen, on the baseball and softball fields, in the music venues, at band concerts and marching band, and so much more.

Richard cherished the name "Poppo" given by his first grandchild. As his new name started to stick, he turned it into his alias as he was introduced as Poppo on stage before guitar performances, on social media, and beyond. Poppo and Dad, you were the heart of our family, making everyone feel loved and cared for. He showed us the true meaning of family through his unwavering support and unconditional love. His love for his grandchildren was truly boundless. His legacy will live on in the memories we share. His daily impact will be missed by all, but especially his grandchildren, whom he admired and would do anything for. He showed the most joy when taking his oldest grandchild to horse lessons and competitions. He was extremely excited that his middle grandchild was in his 4th-grade Lion King production. He enjoyed making scrambled eggs with his youngest grandchild.

Richard and Nancy visited the Cleveland Museum of Art and frequently traveled to local destinations, Ashtabula, Lake Erie, and Pittsburgh. In the summer, you would find them traveling to Amish country to eat at Boyd and Wurthmann’s for homemade pies and meals. He was an avid foodie his whole life and was a great cook. You would often find him at Ray’s Place or Franklin Square Deli in Downtown Kent, where they knew him by name. They enjoyed the theater at Playhouse Square and seeing the Cleveland Orchestra. He also loved to travel to New England and visit family and do the occasional Vermont beer tour. For 39 years, they shared a love story, a life together filled with laughter, adventures, and a deep, unwavering bond. He was her best friend, confidant, and the rock of the family.

The family would like to thank the first responders who worked so hard and tried so valiantly to save Richard's life after he collapsed unexpectedly in his home. These include the 911 dispatcher, the EMS team, and our neighbor who came to his aid. They would also like to thank their neighbors who came to the family in a time of need.

Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Nancy; daughters Rachel and Rebecca, both of Kent; son Elliot (Lindsey) of Durham, New Hampshire; two granddaughters, Makyla and Hazel of Kent, Ohio and grandson Fox of Durham, New Hampshire; sisters Randi Gormley (David) of Fairfield, Conn., and Robin Northern (Benny) of Mentor; an aunt, Norma Berg (Howard) of Bangor, Maine; nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws. He was preceded in death by a son, Kevin David Stillwell Jr., in 2022.

There will be a Scholarship for Journalism in Richard’s name at Lakeside High School in Ashtabula. More details to come.

SAVE THE DATE: The family will be hosting a Celebration of Life for Richard on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at Events at Parkside - 6500 Lakeview Dr, Kent, OH (Brady Lake) 44240 from 6:00-10:00pm. This event will also include an open mic night - bring your instruments and play some tunes with us, or recite some poetry!

Cremation services in the care of Bissler and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory, 628 W. Main St. Kent, OH 44240.