Richard Jay Horowitz

Richard Jay Horowitz was a man of smiles, humor, and compassion. He was born in New York, New York on November 12, 1946 to parents Irving and Elinor Horowitz, who preceded him in death, and he grew up in the Bronx alongside his brother, Steven Horowitz, who also preceded him in death. On the evening of Saturday, December 23, 2023, Richard reunited with his parents and brother. Richard’s memory lives on in the many people whose lives he touched, including his stepdaughter, Wendy Pravda; grandchildren, Sadie and Eve; stepson, Bryan Pravda; sister, Lauren Bernick; and fiancé, Rachael Martinez. Richard enjoyed meeting new people, telling jokes, making people laugh, and talking politics. He was full of love and always there to help others. He was a proud alumnus of Dewitt Clinton High School and Long Island University, where he earned his MBA. He worked as a Dean of Discipline in a New York high school before moving to Houston as a young adult. In Houston, he co-owned and operated a leather goods store, Leatherology, before founding a company where he designed and sold belt buckles. His buckles included designs that honored Vietnam veterans, and he shared the buckles with vets when he attended the unveiling of the Vietnam War Memorial in DC. With a talent for sales, Richard sold yellow page ads for decades with GTE, Verizon, and more. He loved making cold calls, driving around his sales territory, and helping people improve sales within their businesses via spots in the yellow pages. As the world transitioned from yellow page books to the internet, Richard continued to sell ads for a short time before deciding to retire; but Richard was not one to sit still. In retirement, he found a new calling in driving with Uber and Lyft, as well as being a private driver. Meeting passengers and helping them on their journeys in life was a true pleasure for Richard. He had a gift for befriending others, and he never met a stranger. A graveside service was held on Friday, December 29, 2023, at 12:00 pm at Beth Yeshurun Post Oak Cemetery, 7445 Awty School Lane, Houston, Texas 77055. In Richard’s memory, donations may be directed to the American Heart Association, the Jewish Federation, or your favorite Republican candidate for President. A recording of the graveside service is available to be viewed at the following link: https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTcwMzgxMzY5NDI4NzgwMiZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw==

Richard Jay Horowitz

November 12, 1946 - December 23, 2023