With sorrowful hearts, we announce the death of Richard Manster Chalfin, who passed peacefully on the sacred day of Rosh Hashanah surrounded by his loving family in Boston, Massachusetts. Born on October 23, 1946, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Richard was the cherished son of Paul Manster Chalfin, Peggy Oppenheimer Chalfin, and his stepmother, Ruth Schafer Chalfin. He is survived by his beloved wife of 46 years, Joyce Amoroso Chalfin, and his children, Robin, Jacob, and Julia, and their spouses Krista, Kathleen, and Christoph who all proudly took the Chalfin name. He was the adoring grandfather of five: Ella, Aria, Otto, Angus, and Margaret. He cherished his extended family including cousin Joan Tannenbaum, brother, Stuart, sister, Carol Liebman, sisters-in-law Lois Greenfield, Angela Ordoñez, and Naomi Persky, and a gaggle of nieces and nephews. Richard’s diverse and blended family was the center of his universe; he carefully tended to his children’s unique pursuits and delighted in the holiday traditions holding extended family and all the generations close to his heart.
Coming of age in the 60’s, and determined to find his authentic path, Richard stepped away from the comforts of his city upbringing embracing the countercultural back-to-the-land movement. He lived and worked on communes first at the Island of the Red Hood in West Virginia and then at the Abode of the Message in the Berkshire Mountains where, living on the land, he expanded his spirituality and a life-long resourcefulness.
In the early 80’s he returned to Pennsylvania with his growing family and started a career in insurance adjusting. With his children enrolled in the Kimberton Waldorf School, he became actively involved in the wider anthroposophical community encompassing biodynamic and community-supported agriculture and served on the board of Orion working with local families in need.
In the 2000’s Richard and Joyce flew their empty nest relocating to Boston, MA where they could enjoy being neighboring grandparents to Robin’s twin babies Ella and Aria. In semi-retirement, Richard enjoyed working as a realtor, developing the Roslindale Farmers Market, and cultivating community events such as the Winter Solstice Luminaria.
Richard was an avid gardener, beekeeper, and traveler. His connection with the natural world kept him active in every season with ice skating, hiking, swimming, and strolling along Cranes Beach. Over the last decade, he fulfilled his creative side through working with Joyce in their clay studio assisting her as she produced Joyful Table Pottery majolica tableware, and enjoyed an ever-deepening bond of love through this collaboration. Always regenerating their lives with new adventures, Richard and Joyce most recently established another home base in Munich, Germany, soaking up time with grandson Otto, hiking the Alps, and immersing themselves in the greater European culture.
Richard lived with joy, curiosity, and an abiding love for community; this legacy will be carried in the hearts of all who knew him. For those wishing to make a memorial offering, Richard chose Orion Communities in Phoenixville, PA .
https://givebutter.com/Richard-Chalfin-Fund