Richard “Rick” Shandler died on April 29, 2026, after a short illness at Lankenau Medical Center in Penn Wynne, PA. Rick was born in 1961 in Broomall, PA to Selma Shandler (née Ziegler) and Irving Shandler.
Rick graduated from Marple Newtown High School in 1979 and was in the Class of 1983 at Temple University with a theater arts major. He spent the next 20 years working in theater traveling the world as technical director for theatrical shows, concerts, festivals, etc. He also taught theater arts at the collegiate level at several colleges throughout the United States.
Concurrently, Rick was working as the Director of Operations at Diagnostic and Rehabilitation Center (DRC) from 1988-2003. He changed careers in 2003 and began working in the medical field first as a senior technologist in Electrophysiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and most recently as an Executive Clinical Account Specialist in Electrophysiology for Biosense Webster as well as Interim Product Director for Ultrasound in 2013 for Biosense Webster.
Rick was an EMT and a Wilderness EMT and was a very active volunteer. He Joined the National Ski Patrol (NSP) in 1996 and worked at the local, regional, and national levels often holding senior leadership positions. He was NSP’s Program Director for the Safety Team and for the Nordic/Backcountry Program. Rick created a Memorandum of Understanding between the US National Parks Service and the National Ski Patrl and created the Valley Forge Ski and Bike Patrol at Valley Forge National Park in 2012 where he was still program director.
In 2012, Rick helped organize a ski tour with the Eastern and International Divisions (then the European Division) to ski the Bernese Oberland Haute Route. This was a combined MTR/Avalanche training. Rick also liked rock climbing doing routes in the Tetons and the Gunks.
During the early through mid-2000s, Rick regularly showed up to help instruct at Level 2 Avalanche courses as well as ESAW (Eastern States Avalanche Workshop) and the IsSW (International Snow Science Workshop). He once represented NSP at ICAR (International Commission for Alpine Rescue) at their European conference.
Rick was and an instructor and IT in Avalanche, MTR, Nordic/Backcountry and OEC. He was instrumental in the founding of the NSP Nordic Master Program and proudly earned Nordic Master #007. In 2013 he received National Appointment #11450 and a Distinguished Service Award in 2020. In 2019 he received a Yellow Merit Star as the Patrol Representative of the National Outstanding Nordic Patrol.
Rick regularly traveled aroundntothe Eastern Division’s Nordic patrols and taught XOEC. He was spearheading the team that was writing the XOEC chapter for the new OEC 7.
Rick also enjoyed spending time on the water teaching whitewater kayaking, whitewater safety rescue classes, and volunteering with the Friendship Dive Rescue Team in Phoenixville, PA. He taught many different classes throughout his life including the National Ski Patrol, the Philadelphia Canoe Club, the American Red Cross, and at many universities and schools throughout the country. His accomplishments, certifications, and the number of lives he touched are too vast to list. Rick loved nothing more than helping people.
Rick is survived by his wife Susan Shandler (née Pratt) and his children Abram and Elias who will all miss him terribly. A Memorial Service was held in his honor at Temple Sholom, Broomall, PA on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Donations can be made to the American Red Cross and to Temple Sholom.
