1928
William
2020
William Halbe Richards
December 15, 1928 — October 5, 2020
Bill was born in Pasadena, CA on Dec 15, 1928. He attended all the local schools. He worked while going to school in a wide variety of jobs.
In 1951, out of high school, he became a commissioned officer and rated aviator and was shipped to Korea where he flew 75 combat missions. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters. He returned stateside and became a navigator instructor for the next 2 years in South Texas for the Air Force. After 4 years of service he completed college with a B.S. degree in business. After college he went to work for General Telephone & Electronics Corp in Santa Monica, CA. Bill retired after 31 years as an executive.
He married Ruth Rollings, from Iowa, in 1958 after 6 months of dating. They had their first baby in 1959. Then came two more children, all girls. They were married for 55 years until Ruth died in 2014. Bill was involved in many things for his communities which included coaching soccer and softball teams his daughters were on, served as president of his church board, president of Y's men's club, and served in the junior chamber of commerce. The family also enjoyed camping, going to the beach and body surfing, and motorcycle dirt riding.
In 1989 he moved to Lincoln, CA and became Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Manager for 2 years. He came to love Lincoln and enjoyed living in the country where he had goats, pigs, ducks, dogs, and cats.
Bill's passion was his 1932 Ford Cabriolet Convertible which he bought in 1948 as his first car. He loved to race his car. He rebuilt it and showed it at car shows. It won many awards. Bill was a member of the VCCA car club in Auburn and for 16 years volunteered service for the Auburn Cruise Night car shows. The rest of his time was spent on maintaining his 10 acre ranch.
Bill passed away peacefully in his beloved home on Oct 5, 2020 at the age of 91. He is survived by his daughters, Jill Wagenaar and Jodi Silva. Also his 3 grandchildren, Tyler Slaughter, Kelsie Shearer, and Ben Silva, and nieces and nephews.
In 1951, out of high school, he became a commissioned officer and rated aviator and was shipped to Korea where he flew 75 combat missions. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters. He returned stateside and became a navigator instructor for the next 2 years in South Texas for the Air Force. After 4 years of service he completed college with a B.S. degree in business. After college he went to work for General Telephone & Electronics Corp in Santa Monica, CA. Bill retired after 31 years as an executive.
He married Ruth Rollings, from Iowa, in 1958 after 6 months of dating. They had their first baby in 1959. Then came two more children, all girls. They were married for 55 years until Ruth died in 2014. Bill was involved in many things for his communities which included coaching soccer and softball teams his daughters were on, served as president of his church board, president of Y's men's club, and served in the junior chamber of commerce. The family also enjoyed camping, going to the beach and body surfing, and motorcycle dirt riding.
In 1989 he moved to Lincoln, CA and became Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Manager for 2 years. He came to love Lincoln and enjoyed living in the country where he had goats, pigs, ducks, dogs, and cats.
Bill's passion was his 1932 Ford Cabriolet Convertible which he bought in 1948 as his first car. He loved to race his car. He rebuilt it and showed it at car shows. It won many awards. Bill was a member of the VCCA car club in Auburn and for 16 years volunteered service for the Auburn Cruise Night car shows. The rest of his time was spent on maintaining his 10 acre ranch.
Bill passed away peacefully in his beloved home on Oct 5, 2020 at the age of 91. He is survived by his daughters, Jill Wagenaar and Jodi Silva. Also his 3 grandchildren, Tyler Slaughter, Kelsie Shearer, and Ben Silva, and nieces and nephews.
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