Richard A. Gulas, 53, of New Oxford, Pa.

Richard A. Gulas, 53, of New Oxford, Pa., died Friday, April 25, 2008, as the result of a motorcycle accident.

Born April 17, 1955, in Pittsburgh, he was the son of the late George and Trudy Gulas. He was the husband of M. Denise Winfree Gulas.

He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Abbottsbown, Pa.

He was a graduate of Randallstown High School and Towson State University with a Bachelor of Science in special education, magna cum laude. He received his master's from Loyola University in Baltimore and a doctorate in education from Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

After college, he taught special education at Francis Scott Key High School in Union Bridge. He then accepted a position as assistant principal at the Hannah Moore Center in Reisterstown and later became the principal of the school for emotionally disturbed and disabled children.

In 1988, he accepted a position as assistant principal at Westminster High School, where he served until 1991. In 1992, he became principal of North Hagerstown High School in Hagerstown, where he served until becoming principal at Gettysburg Area High School in 1995.

Most recently, he served as adjunct professor at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg and Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa. He was an advisory board member to the No Child Left Behind Task Force and a member of the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals.

He belonged to a folk group that sang in various local churches. He was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan and also loved to read.

Surviving, in addition to his wife, are children Anthony Gulas of Morgantown, Pa., Emilee Gulas of Dover, Pa., and Stephen and Joshua Gulas, both of Gettysburg, Pa.; sister and brother-in-law Deborah and Thomas Russo of Naples, Fla.; a brother, Robert Gulas of Westminster; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at noon Saturday at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church on High Street in Gettysburg, with the Rev. Bernardo Pistone as celebrant. Meet at 11 a.m. at Monahan Funeral Home, 125 Carlisle St., Gettysburg, for a procession to the church.

Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be sent to "Dollars for Scholars," c/o Gettysburg Area High School, 900 Biglerville Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325.