Richard Edward Mendenhall

Mendenhall, Richard (Rick) Edward 51, of Clearwater, unexpectedly passed away in his sleep on May 1, 2022, from heart disease. He was born in Clearwater on June 2, 1970, graduated from Clearwater High School in 1988 and attended St. Pete College.

Rick loved to work with his hands, and to be outdoors. Whether he was cooking, diving, fishing, hunting or working on cars he was always willing to do the hard work that made it a great experience for everyone else. His occupations, many at the same time, most often aligned with his passions and included diving and fishing boat captain, landscaper, flooring contractor, mechanic, karting coach, and caterer. He was just on the cusp of making his dream of owning a barbecue food truck a reality. As an avid diver, Rick took pride in keeping our reefs clean. He worked alongside Dr. Heyward Mathews and the many volunteers from the Reef Monitoring Program on reef cleanup events to keep our local reefs clean from debris. He volunteered countless hours at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church where he was a member. He served on the church council as the Property Chair, helping to take care of the building and grounds of the church and oversaw the congregation’s Wednesday night dinner ministry. Rick was a friend to everyone he met and was known by his friends as the person you called if you needed help with anything. He would drop everything to help anyone in need. Best known for his huge, infectious smile, he lit up every space he entered.

Rick was preceded in death by his father, Richard L. and his mother, Thelma. He is survived by his loving wife of almost 30 years, Sue (Taylor); his three children: Ricky, Mackenzie, and Brian; and his brother, Matthew. A memorial service will be held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 455 Missouri Avenue, Largo, Florida 33770 at 4 PM on May 14. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to either the Prince of Peace Youth Scholarship Fund (www.poplargo.org click give online at bottom of page or mail to address above) or Luther Springs Camp Scholarship Fund (www.luthersprings.org click donate or mail to PO Box 830, Arden, NC 28704 with Rick's name on memo).