Richard A. Schaphorst

Richard (Dick) Schaphorst died on August 28, 2024 at Cathedral Village, Philadelphia, a retirement community in Philadelphia, PA. Dick was born in Atlantic Highlands, NJ on September 8, 1930 to William and Mabel (Gooch) Schaphorst. Dick married Patricia Smedick on October 26, 1957 and was blessed by her loving presence for 59 years before her passing in 2016. Dick and Pat leave three cherished children and their spouses, Karen Schultz (Greg), Kenneth Schaphorst (Ellen Argyros), Stephen Schaphorst (Angèle Surault), six dear grandchildren, Aaron Schultz (Katy) and Melissa Schultz (Greg Sauveur), Maxwell (Malaika Flores-Schaphorst) and Zachary Schaphorst (Claire Hoffmann), Isaac (Addie Mooney) and Caleb Schaphorst, and four great grandchildren, Harrison, Kaylee, Damian and Patrick.

Dick graduated with Valedictory honors from Atlantic Highlands High School before attending Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, where he earned the Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. Dick began his professional career at the Philco Corporation in Philadelphia, where he developed advanced communication technology for the U.S. Government, specializing in efficient digital transmission for television and facsimile systems. In 1976 Dick founded Delta Information Systems to continue his work in visual communications. The company was extremely successful under Dick's presidency, growing to 60 employees when he retired in 1999. In addition to his corporate duties, Dick was active in the international effort to standardize the rapidly developing digital television technology. The United Nations appointed him to chair a committee to work on a low bandwidth digital video system, laying the groundwork for the H.264 and H.265 video standards currently used throughout the world. To develop this key standard, Dick held quarterly meetings of international experts from 1993-1997. Dick holds multiple patents and authored books on video and facsimile technologies.

Dick and Pat raised their children in Jenkintown and lived there for 43 active, pleasant years. He was a member of the Jenkintown School Board for eight years, serving one term as Vice President, and served as Rector's Warden at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Glenside. He was President of the Jenkintown Rotary Club from 2004-2005, a member of the Jenkintown Planning Commission, and coached Jenkintown Youth Activities baseball. Having grown up at the Jersey shore, Dick loved water sports—sailboat racing, windsurfing, and bodysurfing (last done when 85 years old). He built a house on a lake in northern Pennsylvania and was active in the Ganoga Lake Association. He loved to travel with his family and was a dedicated Philadelphia sports fan.

Since 2007, Dick has been an active member of the Cathedral Village Retirement Community. He was President of the Residents Association, a member of the Board of Trustees, chair of the $1M Capital Campaign and Dining Service Committees, and dean of the Village College. There will be a memorial service on September 28th at 2pm in Cathedral Village’s Cathedral Hall, 600 Cathedral Rd., Philadelphia PA. Donations in memory of Richard Schaphorst may be made to Lehigh University via the Online portal at https://alumni.lehigh.edu/lehigh-fund.