Richard C. Surprenant Sr.

Beloved husband, father, “Papa”, and Great Papa, Richard Charles Surprenant Sr., passed away peacefully on Sunday December 15th in New Braunfels, Texas. He was born on January 17th, 1939 in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Rich is survived by his two sons and their wives; Richard Jr. and Starla Surprenant of New Braunfels, Texas; Robert and Darlene Surprenant of Bluffton, South Carolina; four grandchildren, Amber Lawson and husband Ryan of Seguin, Texas; Sheena Renaud and husband Aaron of Iowa Falls, Iowa; Kyle Surprenant and wife Keely of New Braunfels, Texas, and Drew Surprenant of Fort Worth, Texas; five great-grandchildren, Kai, Cohen, and Lakelyn Lawson of Seguin, Texas, and Layton and Tenley Renaud of Iowa Falls, Iowa.

Rich was preceded in death by his loving wife of nearly 50 years, Minnie, parents Arthur and Elsa Surprenant of Bridgeport, Connecticut, brother Arthur Surprenant of Ocean Shores, Washington, and his father-in-law and mother-in-law Willie and Edna Simons of Texas.

In the late 1950s, Rich served his country in the United States Air Force (USAF) as an aircraft mechanic at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, which is where he met his future wife, Minnie.

Rich married Minnie in 1960 and moved from Texas to Bridgeport, Conn., where they started their life together.

Following his honorable discharge from the USAF, Rich continued as a mechanic for Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, Conn., and then followed in his father’s footsteps, as a glazer repairing and replacing skyscraper glass panels often in New York City.

In 1975 Rich moved his family back to Texas near Minnie’s family and started a trucking business and also worked in telecommunications.

Rich had a work ethic second to none which he passed along to his sons. In his spare time he was very passionate about baseball, and coaching his sons and others during Little League. Additionally, he assisted in coaching (with his son Rick) his granddaughter’s softball team and most recently enjoyed cheering his great grandsons on from the sidelines.

As expressed by his nephew, Rich “was an example I hold in my heart… he was the most simple and true man… his east coast honesty let us know what we should be doing.” He was an honest humble man who will be missed by all who knew him.

A visitation for Richard will be held Sunday, December 29, 2024 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Zoeller Funeral Home, 615 Landa St, New Braunfels, Texas 78130. A funeral service will occur Monday, December 30, 2024 at 10:00 AM, at Zoeller FUneral Home. An interment will immediately follow at Hill Country Memorial Gardens, 11700 Texas Highway 46, New Braunfels, Texas 78132.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial contributions be given to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.