Richard Anthony Salmon

Imagine a life so beautifully lived that the standard-bearer for your life could largely be reduced to the following:

'In the evening of my life I shall look to the sunset.

At that moment in my life when the night is due And the question I shall ask only God can answer Was I brave and strong and true?

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?'

Now, in order to answer the question, it requires an examination of the life of Richard Salmon.

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Richard Salmon graced this world, clear across the big pond, over 82 years ago in Dublin, Ireland. Born to Esther and Thomas Salmon and brother to Thomas and Harry, Richard's early intellectual curiosity and hard work led him to academic success at Rockwell College in Tipperary, Ireland. When he graduated from Rockwell, Richard was called to the priesthood, studying at a seminary in Leicester, England. The calling in Leicester did not work out and so Richard readily made the journey across the Atlantic to the United States simply to seek out better opportunity.

While in New York, Richard recommenced his college studies, graduating from St. Francis College and thereafter beginning a long, fruitful career as a teacher.

But, we have jumped ahead of ourselves. You see, there was this girl.

Richard had taken a job in 1955 at Best and Company, a high-end children's clothing store in Manhattan. It was on his 21st birthday that he met Pauline Corrigan, a 17 year old girl who was not supposed to be working on the third floor that particular day, but, fate had its way of intervening. On that day, he met the love of his life and the best friend he has ever known, Pauline. They wed on August 23, 1958.

In quick succession, Richard started his teaching career. After a brief nascent teaching stint on Staten Island, Richard embarked on a 36 year career teaching history to generations of young men at Archbishop Molloy High School in Jamaica, Queens. Richard's natural storytelling ability coupled with his knowledge and unique teaching style fed the spirit and stoked the imagination of young men for decades. He was not just a teacher for these young men, but, a counselor in perplexity and a soundboard of goodness and heart. His former students would routinely credit Richard to being the impetus for their own career choices and for the men they would eventually become. The school motto at Molloy, where Richard was affectionately dubbed Mr. Chips, was 'Non scholae sed vitae'--'not just for school but for life.' Richard lived that life, having maintained friendships with countless former students over many decades.

At the same time that Richard was honing and perfecting his teaching skills, he and Pauline's love story continued. Having married in 1958, they became first time parents in 1960 with arrival of Peter. In quick succession, they welcomed the arrival of three more children, Thomas, Edward and Jeanne.

The years went by and all things attendant to parenthood populated the days of Richard and Pauline. Pauline, through many years of part-time jobs, raising children and college classes, commenced her law school career in 1976, with her biggest cheerleader, Richard, taking on more parental and household duties, in this, yet, another adventure for the two. Scrappy and hard-working, Richard and Pauline ensured the children were happy, well-fed, and raised in the Catholic faith.

As time went on and the children grew up and the family was expanded by marriages and the arrival of grandchildren. Richard and Pauline then got to enjoy the fruits of their labor, taking trips across the globe from Russia to Australia and beyond. By chance, they booked a trip 30 years ago to San Diego, hoping simply for a brief respite from the February chill of New York. Instead of a mere break, the two of them found their Shangri-La and started a love affair with this city that continues today. On that trip, they concluded that their retirement years would be spent in America's Finest City. They permanently moved to San Diego in 2000.

Richard and Pauline's years in San Diego have been just as productive and busy as their time in New York. Together, they have answered the call to help those less fortunate, the two alone would bring water, food and books to their homeless friends living on the streets of San Diego.

Richard, as a man of history, always felt it was important that people truly knew history. In furtherance of this goal, Richard created 'Witness Art.' He took his exquisite artistic skills and made calligraphic renditions of quotes on panels. These quotes, whether by an politician, actress, playwright or sports figure, he then had attested, by signature, of the person, as an imprimatur of a moment, a place or a time. Richard created hundreds of panels. However, he felt his most meaningful panels were those that he made reflecting quotes from Holocaust survivors. These attestation were not just of the horrors, but, of the great hope and the humanity of those who helped these survivors. Richard's panels were exhibited in a showing at the Coronado Museum of Art as well as the San Diego Public Library.

Richard's carefully crafted panels were not his sole artistic endeavor. He went on to write book manuscripts, plays and essays. He used his well-developed Irish love-of-language toward writing Op-Eds which have been published in such papers as the New York Times and Newsday, among others. He used this skill to bring forth perspectives on social justice.

His forum for truth was not just the written word or artistic renderings. He sought truth through his actions. Throughout the 1980's and in to the 1990's, Richard would routinely participate in candlelight vigils against the death penalty, sometimes with only one other person participating. His sense of truth and bravery continued well-beyond, as he actively supported those who participated in the Occupy San Diego movement and, too, participated in right-to-life marches.

Richard never ceased to engage his mind. He would constantly be reading multiple books at the same time. He could readily engage in meaningful discourse about the world financial market with anyone. He followed and was well-versed on all things politic. He would speak with authority about genetics and the Genome Project. These are all but a sample of the things that piqued his interest. He was truly a Renaissance man.

By far, though, beyond his successful teaching career and his artistic endeavors, he was proudest of the life that he created with Pauline. Their friendship spanned almost 62 years. He would routinely tell his children, "We are so lucky to have her." They each described their time here in San Diego as 'the honeymoon.' San Diego served as a beautiful setting for this great love story.

Richard would want all of you to know the following:

He would want you to rejoice and be happy! He is with God the Father! As he has counseled his own children, when they experienced loss of a friend or love one through death, he would tell you to speak to him and know that he is just in the next room. Because, that is where he waits for the eventual great reunion. He would want you to know that physical death is not a coda--it is simply part of the journey of the soul, and Richard looks forward to celebrating with you in the Kingdom of Heaven one day.

His legacy to his nine grandchildren is this: love of God, love of family, constant intellectual curiosity and kindness to all. Richard stated countless times that the only way in to heaven is to know God and you only know God if you know love. He would want you to live your life in service to those less fortunate. This is a legacy of gold.

Richard was a man who espoused love and equally lived it. And, while we are without him at the moment, we anticipate that he will be making a great home in heaven for his beautiful bride, Pauline and for his entire family. But, that while we wait to be reunited, we all move forward with faith, hope and love.

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In conclusion, to answer the question, "Did I fill the world with the world with love?" Yes, Richard, unequivocally and with a resounding "yes!!"