Richard
Bladis

The Hideout

Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania

The Hideout in Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania wasn't just a place Richard visited — it was his sanctuary. Nestled in the Pocono Mountains, it was where he found peace on the lake, enjoyed family vacations, cast countless fishing lines, shared cigars on the deck, and made memories that will live on forever. Days were spent fishing, shooting BB guns, catching frogs and snakes, and racing across the water on the Wave Runner, the speed boats, and of course his prize Bass Boat. It was a place filled with the people he loved — Bob D'Alia, Frankie Derosa, Harry and Leone Denny, cousins Mike and Nicole and their mother Renee, and his beloved, never-forgotten Bob Arnold. A place where life slowed down, laughter came easy, and family always came first.

Canadian Wilderness

Ontario, Canada

Every year, Richard eagerly looked forward to his annual fishing trip to the pristine lakes of Ontario, Canada. It wasn't just a vacation — it was a tradition that meant the world to him. Months before the trip, he would excitedly prepare his gear, talk about the adventure ahead, and count down the days. Alongside his lifelong friends — especially his best friend, "Bible Bob" — Richard embraced the peaceful wilderness, the crisp northern air, and the quiet mornings as the sun rose over the water. There was nothing he loved more than heading out before dawn, casting a line, sharing stories in the boat, and spending time with friends who had become family.

Home with his Sons

Mountainside, New Jersey

Home with his two sons Jason and Christopher — not only sons, but his best friends. Priceless moments were shared in the grand kitchen, watching movies and the games, where the door was always open and the coffee was always on. A proud collector of knives and fishing gear, Richard cooked some of the most amazing meals of his sons' lives right there, trading theories, talking politics, and dreaming out loud about the day they'd make it down to Florida. Jason would help him place countless online orders for lures and reels and lug the big boxes and cases upstairs as he prepared for the next adventure — Canada, or the Honey Holes with his local fishing buddy Dino.

Around the Globe

Cruise Ships & Far-Off Shores

Richard loved to see the world. He sailed the seas on Royal Caribbean cruise ships, soaked up the sun in Jamaica, and traveled to Cuba — where he visited the very places the cigars he loved were rolled by hand. He rode camels across distant landscapes and was even invited by indigenous tribes to live among them for a time, basking in the sun and sharing in their way of life. Wherever he went, Richard cared more about the people around him than himself. If you needed the shirt off his back, you got it — and money was never the point, as long as everyone he loved was having the adventure of a lifetime.