Richard Allen Hassler, 54, of Littleton, MA, formerly of Summit Hill and Lehighton, PA, passed suddenly on August 14, 2019 in Boston, MA while hospitalized for treatment of a brain tumor.

Born June 30, 1965 to Ray and Afra Hassler, Rich graduated from Lehighton Area HS in 1983 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Optics with High Distinction from the University of Rochester in 1987. He went on to earn a Master of Science degree in Optics with High DIstinction from the University of Rochester in 1989 and Master of Business Administration, Magna Cum Laude, from Babson College in 1994.
He was Executive Vice President and a Director at Lambda Research Corporation in Littleton, MA where he performed research and development software programming for optical illumination design software and provided optical engineering support on a consulting basis for 22 years. Prior employment included optical engineering and analysis work for Lockheed Martin Infrared Imaging Systems, Rockwell International and Hughes Aircraft Company.

Rich lived life to the fullest. He had a passion for adventure travel, math, computers and the stock market and, most importantly, the strong, enduring friendships he developed and cultivated through high school, college, the Sigma Chi Fraternity, and professional friendships over the course of his life. Rich took great joy in maintaining his lifelong friendships and traveled several times each year to visit and vacation with friends and family. He was a big supporter of the Pan-Mass Challenge which raised money for life-saving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through an annual bike-a-thon that crossed many towns in Massachusetts. For many years he was one of the participating cyclists in the challenge. His genial disposition and generosity were a blessing to all who knew him. He is mourned and missed by many.

Rich had a large and loving extended family. He is survived by his father, Ray Hassler and brother Robert Hassler, wife Kelly, and their children, Miranda, Joseph and Alexander of Hartland, WI. Brother Daniel Hassler and his wife Lisa live in Durham, NC with their children Jonathan, Hannah, Jane, Emma, Maria, Esther and Rebecca. He is also survived by nephew Andrew Hassler, wife Rachel, and their children Lydia and Derek of Raleigh, NC and niece

Elizabeth (Hassler) Sutton and husband Jacob of Durham, NC. He was preceded in death by his mother, Afra Hassler.

Services will be held at Norcross-Weber Funeral Home in Coopersburg, PA on Friday, August 23 at 11 AM. Visitors are welcome from 10-11 AM to greet family and friends. Burial will immediately follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Coopersburg, PA.

The family wishes to have all donations in Rich's memory be contributed to the National Brain Tumor Society. National Brain Tumor Society | 55 Chapel St., Suite 200, Newton, MA 02458 https://nbtsevents.braintumor.org/httpsteammonst