Richard Joseph “Rich” Cozzone, 61, Volunteer Village Coordinator for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) was killed in an automobile accident in Mississippi on December 7. He resided in Bainbridge, Ohio.
Cozzone, a retired school administrator, came to the Gulf Coast for the first time shortly after Hurricane Katrina, and instantly became deeply involved in the PC(USA)’s disaster relief efforts. Before being named earlier this year as coordinator of all of PDA’s volunteer villages along the Gulf Coast, he was PDA’s site coordinator in New Orleans, according to Presbyterian News Service.
He was a dedicated volunteer to the Presbytery of the Western Reserve and the local AIDS Community. He is survived by his wife, Linda; children, Caron Pece (Jeffrey), Peter, and Allison.
A celebration of Richard’s life is planned December 15 at Valley Church in Bainbridge.
