Tragic news from Kamloops

truly tragic. Live your life to the fullest, enjoy life and do what you love. Surround yourself with friends and make new friendships.
 
This news hit me pretty hard today, I have not been shooting much lately but knew Richard well. He was probably one of my favorite guys to shoot the #### with. He would go out of his way to make new shooters feel welcome and behind a talented shooter safety was always forefront for him. Feeling for his family right now. RIP Richard.
 
cyclic said:
He would go out of his way to make new shooters feel welcome.
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So true. I think he was that same way with all of his hobbies. I first met Richard when he moved to Vancouver to start his chiropractic career in the early 90's. At the time, he was an out-of-town member of the fraternity(Phi Gamma Delta) that I am also a member of. Richard checked in at our local chapter and we bonded over our shared passion for performance cars.

Rich didn't just talk s**t about cars, he put his money where his mouth was and he'd flog his '93 Corvette on road tracks, 1/4 mile, cones, etc. But, he never came across as a show-off, just an honest enthusiast with a passion for his hobby. I really respected that about him. By the early/mid 2000's, we had drifted apart as my career started to take over my life. But, I'd occasionally see him at alumni dinners as Richard was happy to show up to our local chapters alumni dinners as an out-of-town brother. Rich would ping me from time to time, and I feel terrible that I didn't spend more time with him back then.

But, fast forward to around the mid-2000's when my father was hospitalized and I took possession of my Dad's guns. I hadn't shot a gun since the late 80's so after renewing my license and taking possession of my dad's guns, I decided to join a range and revisit some of the joy I used to experience target shooting as a teenager.

Well, imagine my surprise when I show up at PoCo one day and there is Richard. Prior to that, we never connected over guns. Anyway, he took me under his wing and soon I had finished the black badge course under him, he was coming over to my place to give me lessons on running my Dillon reloading press, giving me advice on what guns were more reliable/accurate, etc.

My work life (and home life) continued to prevent too much socializing, but every time I saw Richard he was always quick to try to include me in whatever was going on. I really wish I had taken him up on more of his offers like going to the Swiss club with him or some of the other awesome activities he was always involved in. I had a zrx1200r and Richard would often offer to include me on the rides he and his riding buddies would organize, but I invariably felt "too busy". Boy, do I regret that now. Same was true of some of the car events he was a part of. He was just such a generous, warm, inviting and inclusive guy.

I've always thought that IPSC attracted a disproportionate number of "peacocks"(ultra-competitive folks who crave the spotlight of victory), and with Richard being so kind, gentle, and friendly, some may not have noticed him over the "peacocks". Richard wasn't a big-mouth and he never sought to be the center of attention, he just did his thing and was good to everyone(Epitome of the term "quiet glory"). Yet, with his passing, I've seen a greater outpouring of love and sadness than I have for anyone else I've ever known('peacock' or not). Through all the social media posts, emails, text messages, phone-calls, and in-person meetings this week, it has been uplifting to see that he clearly left his mark and will not be forgotten by those whose lives he touched.

Going to miss you, Rich

S. M.
 
Rich self described himself to me as having Sports ADD (attention deficity disorder) because he loved to get involved in so many different things. Corvette's (purple at that lol), motorcycles, dragon boating, scuba diving, Swiss Club, IPSC, multi-gun, .....

He was always keen to encourage whoever he was with at the time, to try that next sport lol. One of our guys described him as relentlessly cheerful and enthusiastic I think it was, and he would take that with him to whatever he was doing and spread that to others.

Our PoCo IPSC group is devastated, but we will survive and carry on in honor of our leader. Our main concern is for the wife, mother, and other close family that must now go on without him. They are a large group, and many community's from all Rich's sports are pulling together to support them.

I schedule and run the monthly weekend IPSC practices down on Range #3. Usually Rich wanted me to schedule them on the same Sunday as his BB class on range #1, so I could help him with his students, and they could come and play on whatever we set up if there was time. PM me and come down and play with us. You can trade stories about Rich with us. I've only seen that purple corvette in his parking spot, never seen it running. Not too many peacocks in our PoCo IPSC group (I know exactly what you mean!). Rich's character was a great example and inspiration for our group. We'll miss him dearly.



grox6 said:
So true. I think he was that same way with all of his hobbies. I first met Richard when he moved to Vancouver to start his chiropractic career in the early 90's. At the time, he was an out-of-town member of the fraternity(Phi Gamma Delta) that I am also a member of. Richard checked in at our local chapter and we bonded over our shared passion for performance cars.

Rich didn't just talk s**t about cars, he put his money where his mouth was and he'd flog his '93 Corvette on road tracks, 1/4 mile, cones, etc. But, he never came across as a show-off, just an honest enthusiast with a passion for his hobby. I really respected that about him. By the early/mid 2000's, we had drifted apart as my career started to take over my life. But, I'd occasionally see him at alumni dinners as Richard was happy to show up to our local chapters alumni dinners as an out-of-town brother. Rich would ping me from time to time, and I feel terrible that I didn't spend more time with him back then.

But, fast forward to around the mid-2000's when my father was hospitalized and I took possession of my Dad's guns. I hadn't shot a gun since the late 80's so after renewing my license and taking possession of my dad's guns, I decided to join a range and revisit some of the joy I used to experience target shooting as a teenager.

Well, imagine my surprise when I show up at PoCo one day and there is Richard. Prior to that, we never connected over guns. Anyway, he took me under his wing and soon I had finished the black badge course under him, he was coming over to my place to give me lessons on running my Dillon reloading press, giving me advice on what guns were more reliable/accurate, etc.

My work life (and home life) continued to prevent too much socializing, but every time I saw Richard he was always quick to try to include me in whatever was going on. I really wish I had taken him up on more of his offers like going to the Swiss club with him or some of the other awesome activities he was always involved in. I had a zrx1200r and Richard would often offer to include me on the rides he and his riding buddies would organize, but I invariably felt "too busy". Boy, do I regret that now. Same was true of some of the car events he was a part of. He was just such a generous, warm, inviting and inclusive guy.

I've always thought that IPSC attracted a disproportionate number of "peacocks"(ultra-competitive folks who crave the spotlight of victory), and with Richard being so kind, gentle, and friendly, some may not have noticed him over the "peacocks". Richard wasn't a big-mouth and he never sought to be the center of attention, he just did his thing and was good to everyone(Epitome of the term "quiet glory"). Yet, with his passing, I've seen a greater outpouring of love and sadness than I have for anyone else I've ever known('peacock' or not). Through all the social media posts, emails, text messages, phone-calls, and in-person meetings this week, it has been uplifting to see that he clearly left his mark and will not be forgotten by those whose lives he touched.

Going to miss you, Rich

S. M.
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