Richard A. Antonchuk

February 2, 1938 - July 2, 2018

A life well lived has come to an end. Richard A. Antonchuk died surrounded by his family on July 2, 2018 after a brief illness. An avid backpacker, persistent fisherman, fearless rough water swimmer and, most recently, a curious world-traveler, Rich loved to embark on adventure with a smile on his face and the sun on his back. From week-long backpacking trips in the wildlands of California with his son, Jeff; to traveling on planes, trains and automobiles (and maybe a rickshaw or two) with his long-time partner, Teri, sister, Ann, and brother-in-law, John; to enjoying a refreshing spa with his daughter, Nikki, Rich savored his time exploring, learning and relaxing with those he loved.

But above any adventure, Rich cherished being a father and grandfather. It was his greatest joy. Rich devoted countless hours supporting his children’s and grandchildren’s participation in sports and other activities. Always engaged and enthusiastic, there was no activity too minor or inconsequential for his attention. He was a fixture at his grandson Webster’s water polo matches and basketball games, and would not hesitate to hop on a flight to Las Vegas to watch his grandson Alex participate in a swim meet or to attend one of his granddaughter Kate’s dance recitals. Rich was born on February 2, 1938, in San Francisco; the youngest of the three children of Alexander and Jena Antonchuk. The family moved to Redwood City in 1946, where Rich graduated from Sequoia High School in 1955. He earned his AA Degree from the College of San Mateo and served in the 1st Infantry Division (the “Big Red One”) of United States Army in Germany.

Rich joined his family’s hardwood flooring company not long after being discharged, and successfully ran the business until he retired (although he still picked up the tools for friends and family). A. Antonchuk Hardwood Flooring Company was well-regarded in the Bay Area and beyond for its reliability and excellent workmanship. A longtime member of the Dolphin Club in San Francisco, he completed the chilly New Year’s Day “Swim from Alcatraz,” swam the Golden Gate on numerous occasions, received the Polar Bear winter swim award, and achieved “Old Timer” status. He competed in local triathlons, was a longtime competitor with the Menlo Masters Swim Club and ran Bay to Breakers for 38 consecutive years, 35 of those with his daughter. For his final Bay to Breakers this past May, Rich walked the 12k with all three of his grandchildren.

Rich closely followed national and international politics and was an avid sports fan, even writing a weekly column for the San Mateo Times on San Mateo County high school sports prior to joining the family business. He maintained close friendships with his many old friends, some he made in early elementary school, and easily made new ones. His enthusiasm for travel and interest in family recently inspired him to journey to Belarus to visit the small town his father left for the United States and meet distant relatives.

Rich is survived by his son Jeffrey T. Antonchuk (Marie Luise Meyer), daughter Jena “Nikki” Antonchuk (Jason Wigg), grandsons Webster I. Antonchuk and Alex J. Wigg, granddaughter Kate J. Wigg, sister Ann Marie Sulzbach (John Sulzbach), and longtime partner, Teri Ashby. He was preceded in death by his eldest sister Evelyn J. Antonchuk.

A celebration of Rich’s life will be held at Woodside Village Chruch, 3154 Woodside Road, Woodside, California, Saturday, August 18, at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Yosemite Conservancy (www.yosemiteconservancy. org).