Joel Lerich

Joel Lerich Age 69 of Fort Collins, Colorado died May 23,2010 at Poudre Valley Hospital. A graveside service was held at Grandview Cemetery. A Shiva minion will be observed at 6:00 pm today at the family residence at 1418 West Oak St., Ft. Collins. A memorial service will be held at 2:30 Thursday, May 27th at Congregation Har Shalom, 725 West Drake Road, Ft. Collins. Joel Lerich was born September 25, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York to Lester and Hannah Cohen Lerich. Joel received his undergraduate education in mechanical engineering from Clarkson University in Pottsdam, NY and then grad school at The University of Colorado in Boulder receiving his Masters degree in Fluid Dynamics. Joel married Susan Temple in 1964 and fathered two sons, Randy and Scott. During that time, he went to work for Thermo Systems Inc, in Minneapolis MN. Joel divorced in 1972; in 1974 Joel sustained a broken neck and spinal injury from an automobile accident which left him disabled. The challenges Joel faced was the impetus behind him inventing and manufacturing durable medical equipment for others with spinal cord and mobility issues. Soon thereafter, Joel created Rand-Scot manufacturing here in Fort Collins. For over 27 years Joel has continued to invent and manufacture equipment for those with disabilities. On September 7, 1982, he married Barbara Boyd Hoehn in Fort Collins. The two were soul-mates… Joel was a founding member of Congregation Har Shalom and was proud of his Jewish heritage. He was always inventing and solving problems where he saw a need. He loved computers and what they could do. Joel was the "ultimate Mensch." He is survived by his wife Barbara; three sons, Randy (and Barbara) Lerich of Ft. Collins, Scott Lerich of Cave Junction, Oregon and Robert Hoehn of Paris, France; a daughter, Brecca Hoehn of Martinsburg, WV; his mother, Hannah Lerich of Broomfield, CO; brother, Barry Lerich of Nordland, WA; his sister, Bonnie Simmons of Oakland, CA; three grandchildren, Matthew, Eli and Milo; and three great-grandchildren, Lilly, Izabel and Sophia. The family requests that any memorial donations please be made to Hadassas, Congregation Har Shalom or Clarkson College, in care of Goes Funeral Care.