Born on the American-Canadian border, Richard Outhwaite grew up in the home of his American parents and Canadian grandparents and great-grandfather. As an undergraduate, he majored in both chemistry and history, and did graduate study at St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Crestwood, New York. He worked as a bench chemist and then marketing director for a New York company while exercising his musical interests in opera recitals and serving as organist for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York as well as part-time organist in a Jewish synagogue. Moving to Seattle, he divided his time between the Orthodox Cathedral and Axios Recovery Services, where he served as president and executive director. He also sat on the board of directors of five other non-profit corporations. Now retired, he resides in south-eastern Ireland.