Richard Paul Ludwig

Richard Paul Ludwig, age 93, passed away on March 15, 2023, in Garden Grove, California. Richard was born to Evelyn Richards Ludwig and Raymond Clinton Ludwig. Richard had one younger sister, Ann Ludwig Gould (deceased). Richard lived a long, full, and productive life. He leaves a legacy of 3 sons, 8 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.

Richard was born in the coastal town of Rockland, Maine. Richard comes from a long line of New Englanders who can trace their ancestry to Mayflower passenger Richard Warren. Richard was proud to say that Rockland was known as the Lobster Capital of the World. His friends called him by his nickname of “Luggy”. Richard played on the Rockland High School baseball team for four years, three with the Varsity. He was in the Boy Scouts where he attained the highest level of Eagle Scout. He enjoyed swimming, fishing, and snow skiing. He was a hard worker, working 4 summers at the Samoset Resort, delivering newspapers, and cutting ice blocks for ice boxes during the winter at Chickawaukie Lake.

Richard joined the Air Force at the age of 17. He said he joined because he wanted the opportunity to travel, something he could never afford as a civilian, and also because of the sense of patriotism he felt in 1947 with the fresh memory of World War II. While in the Air Force he had the opportunity to travel or be stationed at diverse states and countries, including Alaska, Texas, Niagara Falls New York, Bangor Maine, Guam, Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Burtonwood England, France, Karachi Pakistan, Peshawar Pakistan (where he briefed the pilot Francis Gary Powers the morning before the famous international incident in which Powers was shot down by Soviet surface to air missiles and taken captive), Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Libya.

Richard met and married O Son Pak (known as Joanne) while he was stationed in Osan South Korea. They were married for over 56 years, until Joanne passed away in 2018.

Richard was in the Air Force/Reserve for 31+ years, until he retired in 1978.

Richard and his family moved to Long Beach, California in 1968. Richard and Joanne resided in Long Beach California for 30 years from 1968 to 1998. Richard worked for 15 years as a supply supervisor at Oscar Mayer, in the city of Vernon. Richard made close, life-long friends while working at Oscar Mayer.

After retiring from Oscar Mayer, Richard and Joanne owned two businesses: Ludwig's Coffee Shop and Diner and the Tenderloin Restaurant. They owned and worked in these businesses for 20 years until they both retired in 1997.

In addition to his family and work, Richard, a Mainer, primarily enjoyed being outdoors. He bought and renovated a cabin in Big Bear, enjoyed camping in New England and later in the High Sierras, and enjoyed riding motorcycles in the Tehachapi Mountains and Mojave Desert. Richard enjoyed many hobbies over the course of his life, including photography, board games, cards, reading military/espionage/cryptography books, crossword puzzles, and golf.

Richard and Joanne bought a home in Niceville, Florida in 1997 and retired there in 1998. They enjoyed the small town and slow paced life in Bluewater Bay, a golfing subdivision of Niceville. Joanne was the Treasurer in the All Nations Baptist Church. Richard was an active member of the Eglin Golf Courses, both the Eagle and the Falcon.

Richard moved back to California to be close to his sons, Randy, Raymond, and Russell, after his wife Joanne passed away in September 2018. During the almost 4 1/2 years Richard lived in California, he resided at the Brookdale Assisted Living Facility in Irvine, and also with his son Randy in Huntington Beach. While living in California, Richard enjoyed visiting his family, playing Scrabble, doing crossword puzzles, and going on drives along the coast on Pacific Coast Highway.

Richard lived a life of adventure, accomplishment, and purpose. The Ludwig Family is so proud and grateful for him.