NOVEMBER 16, 1935 – FEBRUARY 4, 2021
Richard M. Tahl of Boulder, CO, passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 4, 2021. Born on November 16, 1935 to Francis Morrison and Isabelle Dickinson Tahl, Dick spent his childhood years in Elizabeth, New Jersey, graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1953. His family then moved to Westfield and Dick attended Rutgers University, graduating in 1957. While at Rutgers he was a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity and began his 8-year service in The United States Army Reserve.
Richard and his beautiful bride, Melissa, were married in 1962, living for several years in Queens, New York. They then moved their young family to Westfield, New Jersey, where they enjoyed many years, raising their three daughters. They later lived in Oldwick, NJ and Boulder, CO.
Dick was a devoted son, husband, father and grandfather whose family was the center of his life. He enjoyed playing basketball, fishing, puttering in the yard, fast cars, coaching youth wrestling, following local and national wrestling and time spent on the rivers with his dearest friends. He shared his love of sports, cars, and nature with his three daughters and would often have them in tow for a game, tromping through a field to get to the best fishing spot or sitting on a raceway turn. Dick was a loving, deeply devoted “big bird” to his “three baby birds”, each of whom learned integrity, honesty, compassion, the value of hard work, kindness, the importance of friendship, and the box step by standing on his feet. He took many of his girls’ friends under his vast wing; the door was always open, and the porch light was always on. He was loyal and true to his cherished childhood, high school, college, Harding Street neighborhood, and Boulder friends.
Following years in the insurance industry with Prudential Life Insurance Company, Dick struck out on his own in 1982, as the principal of Tahl & Associates, LLC. He took great pride in the life and disability investigative services he provided and was respected for his expertise and integrity throughout the industry for over 30 years.
Dick had a love for all animals, large and small. He was as kind to a painted turtle as he was in awe of a soaring eagle. The first of many dogs that would rest in his lap was the result of a trip to the pet store to buy fish food. He had a gentle, compassionate heart.
Dick is survived by his beloved wife of 59 years, Melissa (Melvin), his adoring daughters, Hilary (Steven) Saporito, Amy (Bruce) Jester, Jennifer Tahl, and his treasured grand-daughter, Isabella Saporito.
When the weather is warmer and gardens are in bloom, celebrations of life will take place in Boulder, CO and Westfield, NJ. The family suggests that friends desiring to make a charitable donation in Dick’s memory consider Brendan’s Meadows Rescue of Mountainside, NJ (of which Amy is a founding officer), online at brendansmeadows.com or Cultivate, a Boulder community, non-profit, that supports seniors through free volunteer provided services such as home maintenance, computer training and repair, plumbing, electrical, etc., at cultivate.ngo (303)443-1933.
