Richard John Zenick, better known as Rich, beloved husband of Ruth, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, May 15th, in Davenport, Florida.

Born in Hartford, Connecticut, on June 29, 1945, to the late Mary Mulski and Walter Zenick, Rich was raised in Wethersfield. He attended local schools and then went on to Albert Prince Regional Vocational Technical School, where he excelled in Industrial Electronics.

In 1966, he joined the United States Army, where he was stationed in Alabama and worked on the Persian missile. He was later transferred to Germany, where he continued his work and went on to receive the National Defense Service Medal.

Rich worked at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft as an electronics engineer for 37 years, where he received numerous awards. Innovative efficiency systems were his trademark. He also patented an anti-theft vehicle device in his personal time.

Rich met and married his first wife, Beverly Hammann, who preceded him in death, and together they raised three children: Richard, David, and Carolyn. He later met and married his second wife, Ruth, in 1995, with whom he shared three stepchildren: Renee, Steven, and Tiffany. They resided in Tolland, Connecticut, for over 20 years.

Rich was kind and generous to a fault. He had an infectious laugh and loved to tell jokes. He enjoyed traveling and vacationing at the beach, especially Topsail Island, North Carolina. Rich also had a love for animals, especially his cat, Bear.

He was an avid tennis player with his close friends Walt M. and Bill. He could be found on the court every Sunday morning without fail. He spent over 30 years fishing annually at Natchaug State Forest and never minded camping and roughing it with his two best friends, Walt and Gary. He later retired to Florida, where he loved playing pickleball three times a week, consistently, until his sudden passing.

Rich leaves behind numerous family members, friends, neighbors, nieces, and nephews. He is survived by his beloved wife, Ruth; his loving children, Rich Hammann of Tolland, David Zenick of Enfield, and Carolyn Zenick of Florida; and his stepchildren, Renee (Joseph) Fox of Ellington, Steven (Kimberly) Benoit of Tolland, and Tiffany (Steve) Draczynski of Ashford.

He was a devoted grandfather to Mariah Pierson, Nicole Carkey, Lindsay Benoit, Madison Fox, Hailey Fox, Nathan Benoit, Zachary Fox, Ava Draczynski, Taylor Draczynski, and Liam. He was also a proud great-grandfather to Colin Carkey and Leah Carkey.

Rich is also survived by his sister, Alice Zenick of Wethersfield; his sister-in-law, Janet Zenick of Farmington; and his half-brother, Anthony Novak (Laureen) of Hebron. He was predeceased by his brother, Walter Zenick.

A mass will be held at St. Faustina's Church in Davenport, Florida. A celebration of life, including the spreading of his ashes at Topsail Island, North Carolina, will take place at a later date. Immediate family members will be notified of the details.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to your favorite charity in Rich's honor.