Richard (Dick) Nekritz, 93, of Alexandria, VA, died on December 13, 2022 after a short illness.
Richard was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, on March 29, 1929 to the late Jacob and Pauline (Goldberg) Nekritz, of Los Angeles, CA. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York, graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1946, studied geology at Brooklyn College (A.B. 1950) and the University of Nebraska (M.S. 1953).
Richard met Leah Kalish through the siblings of mutual friends; they married in 1952. They lived most recently in Old Town Alexandria for nearly 43 years. Richard is survived by his loving wife Leah, two sons, Terry (Joan) of Caledonia, MI, Jon (Debbie) of Frankfort, IL, and grandchildren Dr. Erin (Dr. Francois Bonnay) of Vienna, Austria, Alex (Emily) of Farmington Hills, MI, Allison (Ryan) of Northville, MI, and Kyle of New York, NY.
Following schooling, Richard worked several years as a geologist in oil and uranium exploration in the Rockies, then in 1956, he joined the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office in Suitland, MD, and then moved to the Naval Research Lab in 1964, where he spent most of his career as the Scientific Staff Assistant in the Ocean Sciences Division. He retired in 1986, but managed to fit in a couple of assignments at NATO’s SACLANT in La Spezia, IT. These later assignments in Italy were a dream come true for him. Richard also moonlighted for a number of years as an instructor in astronomy and geology at Prince George’s Community College.
During Richard’s career, he participated in numerous oceanographic surveys in the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean, worked with the Navy’s Environmental Quality Coordinator’s office in the Naval Materials Command, was editor of the Navy’s Exploratory Development Investment Strategy for Materials, organized the Navy Symposium on Military Oceanography, was the Oceanology representative for NRL’s Advanced Concepts Staff, wrote several sections of a special study on the Navy’s Manpower Needs in Oceanography for the Chief of Naval Operations, and was Technical Editor – SACLANT ASW Research Centre, La Spezia, Italy.
Richard, along with Leah, was well traveled. Europe was their primary destination, with several trips to parts of Asia and North Africa. In their younger years, their travels were primarily on their own, exploring and navigating the winding, aggressive roads, languages, and cuisines of the continent, while in their later years of travel, they took it easy cruising the Rhine, Danube, Volga, and Nile Rivers.
Richard loved playing tennis. He regularly played with numerous partners on the court at the Princess Street Townhouses, where Leah and he lived. In fact, rumor has it that the court is now known as ‘Dick’s Court.’
Richard and Leah recently celebrated their 70th anniversary. The highlight of their celebration was a drive to Ft. Washington and seeing abundant wildlife (a couple of deer).
At Richard’s request, there will be no funeral or memorial service.
