Richard is survived by his wife of 62 years, Violet Marie Rampy; a daughter Sondra and her husband Keith Hurley; a grandson John Hurley; a granddaughter Stephanie Hurley and her husband Carlos Romero; sister-in-law Sylvia Burkes and her husband Jim; brother-in-law James Adams; and nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Juanita Rampy; his sister Jacqueline Van Ornum and her husband Bill; sister-in-law Vivian Adams.
Richard joined the Air Force in 1955 and was stationed in Biloxi, MS. It was there he learned electronics and became an instructor. He would go to Pascagoula, MS to get away from the base – sometimes walking between the cities when he did not have a car. It was there in a drugstore that he met Violet who was working behind the counter as a soda jerk slinging burgers and soda. Vi told me she thought he looked hungry at times and she would buy him a meal. Richard liked to say that she liked him so much that she gave him free food which I guess was true from his perspective. They married on June 1, 1957. In 1958, they had their daughter, Sondra.
After being discharged form the Air Force in 1959, Richard went to work on various radar installations around the country. His work took his family to Florida and on to North Dakota and finally to California where he worked at the Goldstone Deep Space Communication Complex. It was said that the location of the work determined how long it took to finish the work. Whereas it might take a few weeks in warm Florida, they might finish the North Dakota work in just a few days so they could get out of the frozen tundra.
As Sondra entered her school years, Richard decided it was time to stop moving. So he moved the family to Florida where he worked as a NASA subcontractor during the Gemini and Apollo years. He finished his career at Houston’s Johnson Space Center during the Space Shuttle years, retiring in 1999.
Richard enjoyed traveling. He and Vi would take trips to the national parks where they would hike and watch the animals. One of their favorite spots was Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. They loved to hike the mountains, bird watch, and just sit in the meadows n the morning, drinking coffee and watching for wildlife. It was our trip with them in 1996 from Colorado to Yellowstone that re-kindled my interest in hiking.
Richard enjoyed talking with people and the thrill of making deals. He was a horse trader at heart. I think he attended gun shows for the sheer fun of trading and selling guns and knives he had collected over the years. He was quite adept at that deal making stuff. During the space industry downturn during the 70s, he struggled with providing a steady income. But yet he was still able to convince a bank to give him a loan to build a house which he completed as foreman and eventually sold for a profit.
Richard also took up woodturning. He could look at an old pile of weathered wood and turn out some amazing bowls and pens. He planned to sell, trade or give away most of them, but Vi had other ideas. So the bulk of them have stayed in her possession.
His last couple of months were rough as his health declined. His dementia had robbed his memory of most people in his life. But he never forgot his wife. Every time he saw Vi, he would get one of the biggest smiles. Even on that last day, as he was laying in bed, he looked at her in such longing and loving way. It did not matter to him who else was in the room that day. I can’t think of a better way than for the last face you see on this side of heaven is the face of your loving soul mate of 62 years.
Rest in peace Richard, you will be missed until we see you again.
A celebration of Life for Richard Rampy will be held Friday, July 12, 2019 in the Chapel of Forest Park East Funeral Home. There will be a visitation at 10:00 am followed by a Memorial service at 11:00 am.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a Veteran’s support organization of your choice.
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