Born in Vienna, Austria. Immigrated at age 12 to Canada with his mother Frieda, sister Christine and stepfather Frank to Cowichan Station.
At 17 he went to Vancouver to get a job on the docks where he started scraping paint on boats. He then got a job as a deck hand/cook on a small tug with Kingcome Navigation. He advanced to larger tugs like the Haida Chieftain. He became Kingcome’s youngest captain on a self loading, self dumping, logship the Haida Brave. 24 years later he moved up the ladder to become a BC coast pilot. For the next 24 years he was moving cruise ships, freighters, submarines, US aircraft carriers and all deep sea vessels from many other countries. He retired after 48 years at sea on the west coast.
He leaves behind his loving wife of 54 years Marlene. They lived on their lovely 11 1/2 acres with all their loving pets in Cobble Hill, surrounded by their good neighbors. He also leaves behind his sons, Dean (Sharon) and Lonnie (Lynda); sister, Christine (Andy); grandchildren, Justin and Jeannine (Cody); great grandchildren, Kate and Ben, his great friends at the BC Coast Pilotage; pals, Tony H, Ken G, Tony C; special friend Mathew John, all his friends at the Kidney Dialysis and his “adopted” family. Thanks to Dean and his crew from the Mill Bay Fire Department. Special thanks to the attending ambulance members who assisted Richard in the past and we appreciate the support of the two RCMP Officers who were on scene that night. We would also like to thank the Coroner’s staff who were so supportive and waited for us at the hospital, but we are extremely indebted to the Head Nurse on duty the night of March 25 at CDH and the rest of the staff. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Heart & Stroke Foundation or to the Diabetic Association.