Obituary of Richard A. Lang

Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Rick, with bright eyes, a friendly smile, and something special about him that made him love to help people, love animals, and love to cook.

Richard Alan Lang (“Rick”) was born to James and Nancy Lang on September 4, 1962. He was greeted by his 2 older siblings, Cari and Rob, as well as his parents, grandparents, and a close-knit group of aunts, uncles and cousins.

He started life in Muscatine, Iowa, making friends in grade school who were still in touch with him even up to recent days. Grade school held some good memories – he took part in a school play, and played the part of Winnie-the-Pooh. He rode bikes, went sledding on the biggest backyard hill you can imagine, and enjoyed many roller-skating parties at Skateland.

Besides being a great baby brother to Cari & Rob, he also learned how to be a big brother, with the arrival of two younger sisters, Cathryn and Melissa, making sure they had the guidance, protection and perpetual help with moving that they needed. The first family dog joined the group when Rick was 10 – and they bonded instantly. A family move took Rick to Berea, OH (a suburb of Cleveland) at the beginning of junior high. This can be a hard time to move, but Rick made friends easily and soon had a number of lifelong connections established with kids from school, church and the neighborhood.

As Rick grew older, he crafted his culinary skills into a longterm career. He completed a two-year restaurant training program and went to work in high-volume dorm kitchens –feeding thousands of students each day – to running bar and restaurant kitchens – to catering weddings, graduations and family reunions. He could also whip up a batch of cookie dough on a TV commercial break, and specialized in comfort foods that family and friends came to rely on. Rick’s sense of humor was a welcome addition to any gathering and made his long hours in food service more fun and memorable for him and his colleagues.

Rick overcame many hurdles through the years and came out on top of it all. His focus on the good things in his life – his peaceful oasis in the country, his gentle giant dogs (mostly Newfoundlands) and his ability to show his love through good food shared with good company, made him happy.

This past year was the toughest for him health-wise as cancer was detected in the spring. He managed treatments and side effects while continuing to make special gatherings complete, including his own family reunion which he hosted in August.

Rick’s favorite holiday was Thanksgiving – being his favorite meal to cook and to eat – and was tied to many wonderful memories of extended family gatherings.

This year, Rick’s family gathered with him at the Bird House (hospice) to celebrate and give thanks for being together. He was able to partake in the meal and especially enjoyed his piece of pumpkin pie. Rick passed peacefully Saturday morning, 11/29, and will be remembered, missed and loved by his family, including his father – Jim, siblings – Cari (& Gordon), Rob (& Bev),

Cathryn (& Allan), Melissa (& Steve), nephews – Brandon and Jeremy, and niece Marina, as well as many beloved relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, Nancy, grandparents, several aunts and uncles, and a few dear friends and pets.

A celebration of life will be held in Spring 2026 – we hope you all can join us then to share stories and hugs. Updates and details will be added to Rick’s page on the Gay & Ciha funeral home’s website. If you would like to make a donation in memory of Rick, some organizations close to his heart include: Cedar Valley Humane Society, Solon Fire Department, Ely Fire Department, and Miracles in Motion.