John Edwin Lachat

John Edwin Lachat, 83, passed away on April 21, 2026, leaving behind a legacy marked by hard work, vision, service, adventure, and deep devotion to God and his family.

John was born in Dayton, Ohio, on December 5, 1942, to Victor and Rosella Lachat. He graduated from Colonel White High School in Dayton on June 1, 1961. John's son John Andrew (Andy) was born on September 29, 1962. On December 5,1984, John married Mary Lachat, with whom he shared a life filled with family, travel, boating, sunsets, and countless treasured memories.

John was preceded in death by his parents Victor and Rosella; his sister, Vicky Spangenberger; and Mary's son, Phillip Lines. He is survived by his wife, Mary; his son, Andy (Shawn) Lachat; Victoria Lines (Linda Griffin); Gina (Patrick) Miles, Andrew Doty (Trina Amato); his grandchildren, Christopher Lachat (Shawn Huston) and their daughters Katia and Olivia, Kathryn (William) Hardesty, Taylor Miles, William (Elizabeth) Miles, Drew (Sheila) Doty, Adam (Shannon) Doty, Tommy Lines, Sean Lines, and Mitchell Lines; Brother-in law John Spagenberger, his nephew, Richard (Angel) Spangenberger and their daughter Alaina; his niece, Sue (Bill) Frisbee, and their daughter Samantha; and his lifelong friend, Dennis (Dianne) Carey.

In April 1969, John founded what would become Riten Industries, originally known as Rigid Tool Company, in Bloomingburg, Ohio. When John purchased the company and began its transition to Riten Industries, Jim Wissinger, who was already working there, became an important mentor to him. After his shifts, Jim stayed each night to teach John how to understand and run each machine, helping lay the foundation for what the company would become. John's first hire at Riten Industries was T.J. Detty in July 1969. T.J. retired from Riten in 2012 after 43 years of employment, a true testament to the kind of workplace John created and the loyalty, respect, and opportunity he inspired.

In 1977, John purchased the former Dyna Corp building and moved Riten to its current home in Washington Court House. Through his determination, leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit, Riten grew into a worldwide industry leader, offering the world's largest selection of live centers, dead centers, face drivers, and engineered products used across industries including automotive, aerospace, marine, defense, nuclear energy, medical technology, and oil drilling. For nearly 60 years, Riten has provided employment and opportunity to local families, a lasting reflection of John's vision and the enduring company he built. John also served as president of the American Supply and Machinery Manufacturers Association from 1992 to 1993. In 2008, John retired, and his son Andy purchased the company, proudly carrying forward his father's legacy. 

John's commitment to his community was just as meaningful as his professional accomplishments. He was a founding father of the Fayette County Life Squad, serving with the squad from 1975 to 1986. In 1996, he was inducted into the Life Squad Hall of Fame. He was a longtime member of Rotary, served as president of Washington Court House Little League in 1977, served as Rotary Club president from 1992 to 1993, and served for several years on the Washington Court House Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, including as president from 1977 to 1978. John was also deeply committed to Planet Youth, which originated in 1997 as an outreach for local teens. He joined with Dr. David Ginn early on, recognizing the importance of providing a Christian-based safe place for local at-risk youth, and remained involved for most of the organization's 25-year existence. Tricia Simon, whom John hired as Riten Industries' Controller in 1995, served as Planet Youth's administrator throughout its existence and remained a dear friend to John until the end. John served as an elder in the Presbyterian Church in Washington Court House and was a member of Shriners International and the Rapid River Lions Club.

Throughout his life, John held a special love for Michigan's Upper Peninsula. From childhood summers spent visiting his grandparents' lakeside property on Wilsey Bay on the Stonington Peninsula, to the family home on Little Bay de Noc built piece by piece by his parents over several summers, Michigan remained one of the great constants of his life. John and Mary later remodeled the home, with the help of longtime family friend Bill Cretens, while preserving the foundation and layout his father had built, continuing a cherished family tradition along the shores of Lake Michigan in Rapid River, where they made great friends.

John loved fishing, boating, golfing, beach fires, sunsets, and sharing the beauty of "Pure Michigan" with everyone who visited. He was especially attentive to the small joys of family life, including making sure Mary always had her s'more during beach fires and solving any and every problem Mary presented to him. An avid golfer, John enjoyed playing in both Michigan and Florida and proudly celebrated two holes-in-one at The Landings golf course in Fort Myers, the first on Hole 10 in 2004 and the second on Hole 17 in 2017. John sang with the Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers including a performance with the group in Paris in 2019.

A lifelong boater, John owned many beloved vessels, including Buttercup, Lady, and Center Line. In 1999, he fulfilled a lifelong dream by earning his Captain's Certificate from the U.S. Coast Guard and later expanded his credentials with a U.S. Merchant Marine Officer Certificate for the Great Lakes and Inland Waters. John and Mary also completed two significant journeys as part of the Great Loop, including a trip from the Ohio River to Tampa Bay via the Tombigbee River and a six-month adventure from Little Bay de Noc through the Great Lakes, into the Atlantic, across Florida's Lake Okeechobee, and finally to Fort Myers.

John's life was one of purpose and momentum. He built a company, strengthened a community, served others, honored family traditions, and filled his years with adventure. His legacy will continue through the family he loved, the business he founded, the lives he touched, and the countless memories made on the water, on the golf course, at the lake, and around the fire.

Services and a celebration of John's life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in John's honor may be made to your local hospice organization.