Obituary: Richard Pomboy

May 2, 1939 – September 30, 2025 
After 86 years of winning friends, influencing people and living it up with the love of his life, Richard Pomboy decided it was his time to say goodbye. He departed this earth in the wee hours of Sep 30th 2025, leaving his bride of 63 years (Sissel) and his children (Stephanie and Eric) without his searing wit and sage guidance. His life story was the American Dream personified. He was born to immigrant parents (one by way of Germany, the other by way of Spain) and raised alongside his older sister, in a small 1-bedroom apartment in The Bronx. From the rough-and–tumble halls of DeWitt Clinton High School, where he was President of the Student Body both in his Junior and Senior year as well Outstanding Student of The Year, he took his first trip outside the confines of NYC when offered a scholarship to Dartmouth College in 1956. His exploits over the next 4 years cannot be repeated here but provided material fodder for the one-day producers of Animal House (you may have heard of it), a film Richard considered a documentary of his college experience. After graduation he spent most of his care-free time before enlisting in the Army at Jones Beach riding the waves and working on his savage tan. It was here where the universe set his path to cross that of an exotic Norwegian flight attendant for the world’s most glamourous airline at the time: Pan Am. When he suggested their first date be hot dogs at Jones Beach and she gleefully accepted, he instantly knew she was ‘the one’. Two years later, they were married. He began his military training at Fort Benning and eventually ended up at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey looking for spies following his training at the U.S. Army Intelligence School. With his blonde lady at his side, Richard went on to earn his MBA at Harvard Business School, where he graduated with honors. Not bad for a guy who, to his dying day, refused to pronounce the ‘r’ in dollar. From there he went to Wall Street where he worked at a handful of major banks (including, finally, Goldman Sachs) before deciding to hang out his own shingle in the late 1970s. His outsized bet on tech stocks in the early 1980’s proved prescient and paved the way to establishing himself as a legend in the hedge fund business, with this Bronx boy finding loyal investors in prominent international investment banks including the Rothschilds and Notz Stucki, among others. This success afforded he and Sissel, and the two children they had along the way, a life of rich experiences and globe-trotting adventures. Family activities were priority number one for him. In the mid-80’s he enrolled the whole family in Mr. Lee’s Karate School in Darien, CT where he got a big kick out of watching Sissel disarm fake-knife-wielding attackers and judo flipping fellas twice her size. His second favorite sport was dining out. Whether holding court with family and friends at The Four Seasons Restaurant in NYC, or enjoying a good pizza at home, the evening always ended with uncontrollable, belly-aching laughter. He was a larger-than-life character who had a positive influence on a great many friends and colleagues who knew him well. He was like no other, and no one will ever be like him. But for 86 years, he blessed us with his love, generosity, grit and humor. A celebration of Richard’s life will be held next summer in Vail, CO., notice of which will be published once details are finalized.