Richard SILVER SPRING-Christopher John Richard passed away suddenly on January 14 in Washington, DC. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Chris grew up in Silver Spring, MD, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He returned to the United States to graduate from West Springfield High School in 1977. He earned a BA degree in Classics from the University of Virginia in 1982, and worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency in Brasilia, Brazil before entering the Foreign Service in 1986. Chris's career was a life of public service, including tours in Tijuana, Singapore, Bangkok, Rome, Islamabad, Lisbon, and several tours in Washington, DC. He met his wife-to-be Elizabeth Holzhall on the day they both entered the Foreign Service, and they were married in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Chris loved to travel, was an engaging conversationalist, published author, and pursued widespread and eclectic interests. Some of his favorites included music- forro, samba, fado, jazz, medieval chants, Phillip Glass..., history- American presidents, ancient Rome, the plague..., and sports-he was a lifelong Flamengo and Roma soccer fan. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth, his parents Alan and Helen Richard, brothers Stephen and Paul, and sister Margaret (Richard) Poppe. Funeral Mass will be held Friday January 23, 2015 at 10:00 AM, in the St. Stephen Martyr Catholic Church, Washington, DC. Short service and burial will be Saturday January 24 2:00 PM at Fleegle and Helfenbein Funeral Home, 106 W. Sunset Ave., Greensboro, MD. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Chris's name to Volunteers Repairing Homes (VRH). Online condolences may be made at www.fleegleandhelfenbein.com