Richard Edward Horvath

In the spirit of celebrating the life of a strong and gentle man, the Horvath/Alston family announces the passing of Richard Edward Horvath, age 75, on March 29, 2024. 

The elder child of Edward J. Horvath and Ruth Mares Horvath, Richard was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1948.  He grew up in the good company of his beloved sister Arlene, and a fun-loving, polka-playing, extended family of Bohemian descent.  From his earliest memories, Richard was fascinated by the natural world and, even as a young child, seized every opportunity to sneak away to Tinkers Creek or remote patches of forest to wonder at the grandeur of old trees, the business of bugs, and the flowering of plants. He grew up fishing with his father and sister, cycling through the countryside, and hiking in Ohio and West Virginia. He attended Cleveland State University where he studied chemical engineering and met his first love, Sutin Khomcharoen. They married and, after graduation, moved to Sutin’s home outside of Bangkok, Thailand.  During those transformative years in Thailand, Richard discovered a passion for cooking and orchids.  But the most joyous event of his life occurred on February 17, 1977, when his beautiful daughter, Anna, was born.  

Richard, Sutin, and Anna returned to Kent, Ohio in 1979. In 1989, they moved to Franklin, Kentucky where Richard began work in the Research and Development division of Kendall, a company now referred to as Berry Plastics. Richard created adhesives for fixing things and for healing people along with all kinds of tape, including really good duct tape.   Sadly, in 1990, Sutin passed away after a long battle with cancer. Richard fearlessly took on the roles of both mom and dad and managed to successfully raise a pre-teen hellion into an adventurous and quirky adult who then found her wings and flew off to Olympia, Washington where she still resides. 

An empty nester, Richard again took to the woods and hiked, camped, backpacked, climbed, caved, rafted, and paddled all over the country including Alaska. He led hikes for the Tennessee Trails Association and Sierra Club and co-founded the Kentucky Trails Association.  While hiking in the Joyce Kilmer Wilderness of North Carolina, he met Gwen Alston, with whom he fell in love.  He moved in with his new wife in the Capitol Hill Community of Fountain Run. For twenty years, Richard and Gwen travelled, hiked, camped, paddled, gardened, tapped maple trees, watched birds, enjoyed the company of amazing friends and neighbors, and explored the world together.  

Richard will be remembered for his strength and gentleness, his quiet chuckle, his beautiful, expansive mind, his determination to never back down from a challenge, his amazing culinary skills, his quiet humility, his love of the natural world, his equanimity, and his graciousness. His family especially will remember him as someone who could fix anything and make everything better. Richard was a rare and beautiful soul. 

In addition to his loving wife, Richard is survived by his daughter Anna Horvath and her husband Dan Steeby, his niece Maureen Kavulis and her husband Joey, his niece Nichole Chrosniak and her family; husband Bill, son Jacob, and daughter Kaitlyn.  He was proceeded in death by his parents, Edward and Ruth Horvath, and his sister, Arlene Horvath Graham. 

Visitation will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, 2024 at Scottsville First United Methodist Church (400 East Main Street, Scottsville, KY 42164). The service will follow at the same location at 3:00 p.m. 

In memory of Richard’s love for nature memorial donation could be made to The Nature Conservancy.

Richard’s family expresses heartfelt gratitude to all of the friends, neighbors, and family members who have enriched our lives, brought us so much happiness, supported us through the difficult last days of our journey, and who have surrounded us with so much freely given love and tenderness.  Thank you!