Remembering Rich Puppione

Remembering Rich Puppione

by Joe Ianora, Colombo Club President

Some people leave behind memories. Others leave behind a standard of service, of integrity, of showing up, and of doing things the right way. Rich Puppione left that kind of legacy. His passing has left an emptiness that’s hard to put into words. We feel it because Rich wasn’t just present—he was a pillar; dependable, consistent, and woven into how our Club operated.

His absence has created a quiet ache for so many of us, because he meant something to so many inside the Club and far beyond it.Rich’s influence extended well beyond our walls. He was a steady presence across the broader Italian community. Known not only because he attended events, but because he contributed to them. He supported other Italian clubs, built relationships across organizations, and carried himself with the kind of consistency that earns trust over time.

Within our own Club, Rich served in more ways than most people ever realize. He was a Board Member, President on two separate occasions, and Chairman of the Board. He was also our historian and resident proofreader. He was someone who cared deeply about preserving our story and honoring the people in it. Rich didn’t treat history like a collection of dates; he treated it like a responsibility. He wanted names right, details right, and stories told with respect, because behind every detail was a person and a family who helped build what we now call the Colombo Club.

Rich’s commitment to the Colombo Club ran deep. He was a third-generation member, and his grandfather was a founding member of this Club. That kind of legacy isn’t just something you inherit; it’s something you live. Rich lived it with pride, humility, and a deep sense of responsibility for the people and traditions that came before him.

Not to mention, there were the countless “little things”—the kind of work that rarely makes a headline but keeps a club healthy: selling tickets, joining committees (it felt like he sat on nearly every one we ever formed), showing up early, staying late, and taking on whatever needed to be done. Rich had a quiet way of steadying a room. He could be gentle and firm at the same time; always respectful, always focused on what was best for the Club.

During the COVID lockdown, that steady leadership mattered more than ever. When many of our Italian organizations were uncertain about their future, Rich helped keep our Club standing. He understood something important: places like the Colombo Club don’t survive by accident. They survive because people choose them again and again through good times and hard times. Rich was one of the dedicated individuals who refused to let the story of the Colombo Club end on his watch.

For me, Rich’s passing is not only a loss for the Club, it is personal.

I first met Rich while working as a VP in the Pleasanton Unified School District in 2020, where he became a mentor to me. Over time, he brought me to the Colombo Club so I could experience the “magic” of my Italian heritage in a way that was real and lived. Not just something you read about, but something you belong to. He encouraged me to serve, guided me into becoming a board member, and helped shape the path that eventually led me to this role as President. We spent a lot of time together over the years through functions and community events, and it’s difficult to imagine the Club without him.

The first time I had to emcee after Rich passed, especially with his son in attendance, was incredibly difficult. After dinner, I sat at my seat on the dais and looked out into the crowd, and I saw Rich in everything: in the traditions, in the people, and in the unseen work that makes a night like that possible. I shed more than one tear then, and as I write this, tears are streaming down my face.

Rich gave this Club a lifetime of service, both seen and unseen. He protected our history, strengthened our foundation, and modeled what it means to lead with humility and heart.

We will miss him deeply. And we will honor him the best way we know how: by continuing the traditions, the work, the caring for one another, and the carrying of our heritage forward, together.

Riposa in peace, Rich. You will always be at the heart of the Colombo Club.

Joseph A. Ianora

President, Colombo Club of Oakland