Richard Harry Reckeweg

Richard Harry Reckeweg, 86, of La Plata passed away the evening of January 8th, 2025. A native of Washington, D.C., he began his Federal career with the Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, cleaning fish tanks at the old National Aquarium in the basement of the Department of Commerce building. He met and married his wife Mary Beth and began his family with the birth of their first child, Cheryl. His career then took him, and his new family, to San Francisco for a short while. Upon moving back to D.C. they welcomed their second child, Michelle. A career promotion then took the growing family to New Hampshire (as he was working in Boston) where they welcomed their third child, John. A final promotion then relocated the family back to the D.C. region and the family settled in La Plata in 1979. Richard was always a servant to his community. Over the years he served as the Market Master for the La Plata Farmer’s Market, Member and President of the Clark’s Run HOA, and countless volunteer roles at the churches he attended. Having a musical family, yet not being a musician himself, he became the perennial Roadie. Whether running the sound system or hauling equipment for the Vesper New Dawn Singers, lugging tables and cases for the Bell Choir, or just driving his family to rehearsals and performances, he was always there supporting his family in their musical pursuits. His largest single community volunteer endeavor was with the Port Tobacco Players. He retired from Federal service on a Friday and was at the theater the following Monday where he spent the next 25 years volunteering approximately 30 hours a week. While he was never on stage he was always in the background doing whatever was needed to make PTP a success. No job was too small or too big; whether cleaning bathrooms, sorting screws, manning the box office, coordinating service technicians, filling out Grant requests, filing taxes, serving as Business Manager, or overseeing the purchase and expansion/renovation of the physical building - he did it all. Richard is predeceased by his wife of 60 years, Mary Beth Reckeweg (née Stone); his parents, Frederick Reckeweg and Virginia Mae Reckeweg (née Andrews), his sister Lois Mae Keithley, and his brother Frederick Vernon Reckeweg. He is survived by his daughters, Cheryl Reckeweg (David Bayles) and Michelle Bast (Gregory); son, John Reckeweg (Laura); and four grandchildren, Benjamin Bast, William Reckeweg, Nathaniel Bast, and Henry Reckeweg. A viewing for Richard will be held on Thursday, January 16, 2025 from 2-4pm and 6-8pm at Raymond Funeral Chapel in La Plata, MD. His funeral service will take place at 11am on Friday, January 17, 2025 at La Plata United Methodist Church. Interment will immediately follow at the church cemetery in Dentsville, MD. Memorial contributions to go to: Port Tobacco Players PO Box 2030 La Plata, MD 20646 For more information please visit www.RaymondFuneralService.com.

Richard Harry Reckeweg

October 31, 1938 - January 8, 2025