Richard M. Furlong

With his passing, Richard joins his beloved wife of 68 years Patricia O’Keefe, along with his two sisters, Margarite and Elaine, and daughter Denine.

Richard was born in Hibbing, Minnesota on February 8, 1924 to Florence and Myles Furlong. In 1941, at the age of 17, he joined the Navy and was stationed in the South Pacific during World War II.

After being honorably discharged in 1945, Richard went to school, graduated from the University of San Francisco in 1953 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Richard and Patricia moved to Auburn, where they raised four children; a daughter and three sons.

From 1953 through 1987, Richard was a pillar of the Auburn community at Placer High School, where he taught, counselled, and coached the football and basketball teams. Richard shared his love of sports working as a local sports writer for the Placer Herald, Auburn Journal and Sacramento Bee.

During the summers, Richard would take his family on adventures, working odd jobs on the road to support their travels. These jobs included but were not limited to: gas truck driver, fruit inspector and pickle-packer; a vocation never fully understood by his grandchildren.

These summer trips are remembered fondly by his children, who recall Richard’s love of travel, the National Parks and the open road, a wanderlust that now lives on through them and his grandchildren.

Richard is survived by his three sons, Daniel and his wife Renee, Denis, Douglas and his wife Bernadette. He is also survived by his five grandchildren, Stefanie, Richard, Danielle, Max, and Kasey, as well as his great grandson Christian.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 6th at 11:00 am at St. Teresa Catholic Church in Auburn, followed by a burial service at 1:00 pm at New Auburn Cemetery with a reception at Chevys in Auburn directly after.

Arrangements under the direction of Chapel of the Hills, Auburn, CA.