Oakmont businessman valued golf, community

July 31--The Ridgeview Golf Club was on the verge of bankruptcy when Dick Fuhrer bought it in 1979.

He grew up golfing on the nine-hole course in Chicora, Butler County, and he didn't want to see it go under.

"That course was on its last legs," said Steve Fuhrer of Wilkinsburg, the younger of Mr. Fuhrer's two sons. "He came in, a bit of a white knight, I guess. He wanted to keep it going."

Richard E. "Dick" Fuhrer of Oakmont died Wednesday, July 29, 2015, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 87.

Mr. Fuhrer renamed the course St. Jude Golf Club and expanded it to 18 holes. It had fast greens and tight fairways.

"It was a tough course," Steve Fuhrer said. "A lot of good golfers played there to sharpen their game."

Fixing up the golf club was his way of giving back to the community, said Gayle Hitchcock of Naperville, Ill., Mr. Fuhrer's daughter.

"It wasn't just a game to Dad," she said. "It was many portions of his life. Golf played into everything."

Mr. Fuhrer's older son, Kurt Fuhrer of Chicora, managed the club for more than 25 years. The family sold it in 2007.

Mr. Fuhrer was born Feb. 12, 1928, in East Brady, Clarion County, to Frank and Crescent Fuhrer.

He graduated from East Brady High School and earned a bachelor's degree from Westminster College, where he met his wife, Gladys. They married April 5, 1951.

Mr. Fuhrer worked as a pharmaceutical sales representative before becoming an insurance salesman. He started Fuhrer's Inc., a life insurance agency, in 1962.

In addition to his children, Mr. Fuhrer is survived by his brother, Frank Fuhrer of Fox Chapel; sister, Mary Lou Waltman of Chicora; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife.

Visitation is 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday in Burket-Truby Funeral Home, 421 Allegheny Ave. in Oakmont. Funeral services are at 12:30 p.m. Monday at St. Irenaeus Catholic Church, 387 Maryland Ave. in Oakmont.

Tony Raap is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7827 or [email protected].

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