Richard Allen Elder

Richard Allen Elder, Esq. of Concord Township, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania passed away on September 30, 2024, at his home at Maris Grove.  He was 79 years old.

Born and raised in his beloved Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, he was the son of Richard Reed Elder and Mary Jane Remaley Elder.  Richard went to Phillips Exeter Academy for High School and continued his education at Carnegie Mellon (at that time known as Carnegie Tech).  During his senior year at Exeter, Richard was Senior Class President and during his senior year in college, he was President of SAE Fraternity and Student Body President.

Richard began his professional career at Dow Chemical Company in Michigan before changing course to become an attorney.  He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh Law School focusing on intellectual property and patent law.  He worked for Monsanto, Bayer, Abbott Laboratories and American Home Products, before concluding his career at Astra Zeneca in Wilmington, Delaware as their Chief Intellectual Property Officer.

Richard was very active in alumni affairs at Exeter and Carnegie Mellon, where he led fundraising campaigns and planned many reunions.  He served as Trustee at Carnegie Mellon and was the recipient of two alumni awards.  Richard also was active with the ACLU and the Boy Scouts of America.  An avid basketball player as a youth, Richard enjoyed college basketball especially.  Of course, Richard was a loyal Steelers fan but was still able to support the Eagles as well.

He was the beloved husband of Susan Thomas Elder with whom he shared 33 years of marriage; brother of Marilyn Van Ormer, Carol (David) MacGregor and a wonderful brother, uncle and great uncle of the MacGregor, Van Ormer and Thomas Families.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation in Richard’s name to: Carnegie Mellon University, Mary Jane Remaley and Richard R. Elder Scholarship, PO Box 371525, Pittsburgh, PA 15251-7525 or Philips Exeter Academy, Richard R. and Mary Jane R. Elder Scholarship Fund, 20 Main Street, Exeter, NH 03833-2460.

A service of celebration and remembrance will be at 2:00pm on December 23, 2024, at the Longwood Funeral Home, 913 E. Baltimore Pike, Kennett Square, PA. A reception will follow at Maris Grove, Cardinal Clubhouse, 200 Maris Grove Way, Glen Mills, PA.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Richard Allen Elder, please visit our floral store.