Today, Dick's family and friends will be gathering together in Fresno, California, for my much older brother's 80th birthday.
Even though you will never read this since you refuse to have any long or short term relationship with a computer, let alone that internet thing. Let me say a few things here about you.
I never knew I had an older brother until I was five years old. Mom took me to see you when you were at some navy base and by that time you were almost on the verge of going to Navy flight school. The next time was about a year later and at that time you owned a brand new 1951 Chevy and you even gave it a cool name ( in the mind of a six year old) Cecil the Sea Sick Chevrolet. Over the years we spent a total of maybe two weeks together and most of those were at family reunions. I remember one time when I was a senior in high school and was working on that hobby ranch south of Bodega Bay California and you and DeAnn with all your kids to visit me on the "Ranch".
Then in 1966 when I was in the Marines stationed in Viet Nam, you were in Iwakuni Marine Air Station Japan and the next thing I knew you were down near Saigon doing some paper shuffling, as you put it and I was still up North hanging out with the grunts and talking to the choppers on the radio.
Funny thing about retirement apparently that was one of the things they failed to teach you in the Navy. You retire from the Navy and after a short stint in the the private sector you start another career with the Fresno County Sheriff's department. After you retired once again from the Sheriff's department you have continued to do you fair share of community service stuff like ringing bells at the kettles at Christmas time and teaching the little kids bike safety.
Even though I am not at your big tu-du I will be there in spirit. If a man is rich not by how much money he has but by how many friends and how large his family is...Dick you are probably one of the richest guys I know. Happy Birthday Dick.
That was a very nice story, Ira. My very first memory of Uncle Dick was when he came to Richard's funeral. I was in awe of him; tall, goodlooking, slender, and a air of "superior being" flew around him! He was kind, gentle and truly sadden at our loss. Because of him, I too join the military, U.S. Navy and loved every minute of it. Happy Birthday Uncle Dick! Your still that "superior being" I met so many years ago!
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