Richard Edward Dougert

Richard Edward Dougert, of Gulph Mills, PA, passed away peacefully on January 23, 2026. Born July 17, 1947, in the coal-mining town of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, he was the son of Evelyn (née Skupsky) and Edward Dougert. The family moved to Northeast Philadelphia, where Rich was raised in a caring community and attended St. Martin of Tours Catholic School and Father Judge High School.

Following a family tradition of military service, Rich was drafted into the Vietnam War and served with the U.S. Army’s 18th Military Police.

Safely back home, he worked full time while earning his degrees at night — an AA in liberal arts from Peirce College, and both a BA in business and an MA in marketing from St. Joseph’s University.

In 1969, Rich met the love of his life, Bobbie, and they married in 1972.

Rich spent decades as a consumer-lending executive at Provident National Bank (later PNC), where he was known as a fair, uplifting and supportive leader. Despite working long hours, he always made time to read bedtime stories to his daughter, Betsy, even when he fell asleep sitting up, and never missed a single Father’s Day at School. He volunteered with the Country Day School of the Sacred Heart Father’s Association (as it was then called), for all 13 years Betsy attended, including multiple terms as President.

Across every chapter of his life, from work, to service and family, Rich was known for his steady kindness, quiet humor and unflappable patience. He listened deeply, gave wise advice and did not know how to complain.

After retiring from PNC, Rich devoted himself to nonprofit consulting and civic leadership, serving as President of Peirce College’s Alumni Board of Directors and, for more than 20 years, as President of the Gulph Mills Civic Association, where he championed the preservation of the village’s historic character.

Valley Forge National Park held a special place in Rich’s heart. A Revolutionary War history buff, he proudly lived in a house built in 1735, along the very route George Washington and his troops marched to their winter encampment at Valley Forge. One of Rich’s favorite consulting projects was strategic planning for the Friends of Valley Forge Park, now called the Valley Forge Park Alliance. Beyond honoring its history, “the Park,” as he called it, was also his favorite place to walk his beloved Samoyed, Sammy, and to go sledding in the winter with Betsy.

When he wasn’t serving a cause, Rich was outdoors. He revered the woods and waterways of Pennsylvania — hunting with his younger brother, Ed, fly fishing the streams and swimming in Lake Wallenpaupack, where he kept a second home at Spinnler Point.

On the water, he found a second family in the nation’s rowing capital, dedicating more than 20 years and 25-30 weekends annually to refereeing scholastic, collegiate, and club regattas. Highlights of his rowing career included Chief Refereeing the U.S. Club Nationals, timing the Olympic trials and U.S. National Team trials, earning his Dad Vail gold jacket and receiving the prestigious Julian Wolf Award from US Rowing for his contributions to the sport.

His home river was the Schuylkill, where he Chief Refereed the Philadelphia Scholastic Rowing Association, the Independence Day Regatta and the Head of the Schuylkill. A gifted teacher, he established the Regional Referee Academy and launch driver training clinics. Above all, he treasured the deep friendships he built with his fellow referees, friendships filled with laughter, camaraderie, and teamwork.

Rich is survived by his beloved family: wife Bobbie, daughter Elizabeth (“Betsy”) and son-in-law Chase Wiley, brother Ed Dougert and sister-in-law Sue Gey, brother Dave Dougert and lifelong friends Bob and Terry Kelley.

All are invited to a Funeral Mass on Friday, February 6, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Katharine of Siena (104 S. Aberdeen Avenue, Wayne PA 19087), with visitation starting at 9:30 a.m. Regatta-chic attire welcomed — please wear something cheerful that you love! Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Sacred Heart Academy, 480 S. Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 (shabrynmawr.org) or a charity of your choice.

“Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.” – Saint Francis de Sales