1947
2015
Richard S.F. Lehrberg
Resident of Palo Alto
Dick passed away surrounded by family on Sunday morning, May 31, 2015. He leaves behind Cathie, his beloved wife of 43 years, his cherished children, Elisabeth "Lee" Lehrberg and David Lehrberg and his grandson Drake.
He was born Richard Stephen Feldman on July 30, 1947, in Boston, MA, to Irene Schultz Feldman and Irving Feldman. He was later adopted, along with his brother, Roger, after their father's death, by Irene's second husband, Bentley Gottleib Lehrberg.
Dick graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and later joined the Executive Training Program of Sears, Roebuck and Company.
Dick rose through the ranks at Sears to become the Video Game Buyer during the video game industry's pivotal years of 1981-1982, when the home version of Pac-Man was released.
In 1982, Dick left Sears in Chicago to join Activision, which was based in Mountain View, CA. In 1989, he formed Lehrberg Associates, an International Software Licensing company, representing clients in Japan, Australia, Europe and the US.
From 1993-2001, Dick worked with Interplay Productions as Executive Vice President, where he worked closely with Brian Fargo. He established offices in Europe, Japan and Australia, and negotiated many successful licensing deals, including the Star Trek game series.
In 2001, he rejoined Lehrberg Associates, specializing in new business development in the European distribution of licensed videogame accessories.
Dick became an elder statesman in the videogame industry, making numerous friends and becoming a mentor to many. Dick also had many friends in Palo Alto, where he was a resident for 33 years, and in Carmel Highlands, where he had a home for 10 years. In his extensive business travels, he made friends all over the world. He was excellent at keeping in touch with people far and wide.
Dick and Cathie loved to travel and made annual trips to Europe and in recent years also visited China, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam and India. When their children were growing up, the family spent at least a month each summer in a foreign country.
In addition to being devoted to his family, Dick also enjoyed reading, had an extensive music collection and loved to photograph family events. He had an infectious sense of humor and an inquisitive mind.
In addition to his wife and children, Dick is survived by brother Roger Lehrberg and wife, Janet, of Boston, their children, Jeff and Joe, and all of Cathie's six siblings and their children who adopted him into their family over 43 years ago.
Services have been held.
Donations in his memory can be made to The Point Lobos Foundation, Attn: Development Department, PO Box 221789, Carmel, CA 93922, http://pointlobos.org/
Or to the American Thyroid Association at http://www.thyroid.org/support-thyroid-research/honor/
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Sponsored by San Jose Mercury News.
3 Entries
I miss Dick-A Really Good Guy
michael katz
michael katz
Work
June 8, 2023
cathie:
I have been so out of touch, I didnt
know about Dicks passing-5 years ago-
I am so so sorry-I just learned today
from an Activision alum.
Dick was always so one of the good
guys and you were a great couple
I hope youre doing Ok
best regards
michael katz
michael katz
Friend
May 22, 2020
Cathie - I just today learned of Dick's death. I am so sorry and sad. He was a big part of my life for many years. Lois Bornstein Reznick Kimbol
Lois Kimbol
October 16, 2015
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