Richard Eugene Vitale, 90, passed away peacefully at home in Indiana, PA Friday September
22, 2023.
The youngest of nine siblings, his parents, Angelo and Maria (Pannazzo) Vitale owned and
operated Vitale’s Hotel Central in Meyersdale, PA. He graduated from Meyersdale High School
in 1950 where he excelled in fine arts and football.
Richard attended Indiana State Teachers College (IUP) in the fall of 1950. He earned a BA of
Fine Arts and Education as well as Master’s degrees in Fine Art and Art Education. He taught
high school art at Elder’s Ridge and Apollo Ridge High Schools until his retirement in 1993.
He married Evelyn Patricia Buggey in 1955 and had two sons, Robert Eugene and Richard
Anthony Vitale.
Dick was a professional artist, and he won numerous awards in PA, MD and DE including Best
In Show multiple times at the former New Growth Arts Festival in Indiana, PA and the Rehoboth
Arts Show in Rehoboth Beach DE. His photorealistic watercolor paintings focused on rural
landscapes, nautical seascapes, sailing, and the Amish,
As an entrepreneur, he and Evelyn owned the Record Shop in Indiana, PA from 1974-1980 and
was co-owner of the End Zone lounge in Rural Valley, PA from 1983-1993.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Evelyn Patricia (Buggey) Vitale, his son
Richard A. Vitale, his brother-in-law Richard Holt, and his siblings Elinor, Viola, Anna, Robert,
Thomas, Mary, and James.
He is survived by his brother William Vitale, sister-in-law Barbara (Buggey) Holt, his son Robert
Eugene Vitale and his significant other Jacqueline Geiger, grandson Douglas Angelo Vitale,
grand-daughter-in-law-Lesley (Seelhorst) Vitale, great granddaughter Natalie Vitale, and step
great-grandson Dylan Robinson
Friends and family will be received at a date and location to be determined.
Online condolences may be offered by visiting www.rbfh.net.
