Richard ''Buddy'' Gamage

BORN IN LOS ANGELES, CA. ON SEPTEMBER 11, 1942 PASSED AWAY ON MARCH 19TH, 2002 IN REDONDO BEACH. BUDDY WAS RAISED IN EL PORTO AND ATTENDED EL SEGUNDO HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE JOINING THE NAVY IN 1959. HE SERVED ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER U.S.S. HANCOCK AS A YELLOW SHIRT AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1963. BUDDY LOVED THE OUTDOORS AND WAS AN AVID FISHERMAN AND BELIEVER IN THE CATCH, TAG, AND RELEASE PROGRAMS. HE ALSO SUPPORTED ANY PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO BENEFIT CHILDREN. BUDDY WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS BROTHER DAVID ''HOGAN'' AND HIS MOTHER ELLEN LORRAINE ''LORI'' STUPPI. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS FATHER EDWARD, BROTHER ARNOLD ''CHUM,'' DAUGHTER DENISE HOPKINS, GRANDSON TYLER HOPKINS, COUSIN JACKIE STILES, STEP-FATHER ROBERT STUPPI, FIANCEE JULIE WOODRUFF, AND MANY, MANY FRIENDS. BUDDY'S LARGE STATURE, AUBURN HAIR, TWINKLING BLUE EYES AND WONDERFUL SENSE OF HUMOR SECURED HIS NICKNAME OF THE GIANT GENTLE TEDDY BEAR. THE FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE REDONDO BEACH POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS, AN UNKNOWN LOS ANGELES PARAMEDIC, AND THE EMERGENCY ROOM STAFF AND PERSONNEL AT LITTLE COMPANY OF MARY HOSPITAL FOR THEIR VALIENT EFFORTS AND KINDNESSES. A MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT 9 A.M. ON THURSDAY, APRIL 25TH, 2002 AT THE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 243 S. BROADWAY, REDONDO BEACH. BUDDY AND LORI'S ASHES WILL BE TAKEN TO SEA IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE MEMORIAL AND ALL ARE INVITED TO ATTEND. THE BOAT WILL LEAVE FROM REDONDO KING HARBOR. CASUAL DRESS IS REQUESTED AS BUDDY WAS NOT A SHIRT AND TIE KIND OF GUY. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS DONATIONS MAY BE MADE TO THE REDONDO BEACH SEA HAWK BOOSTER CLUB SCHOLARSHIP FUND, P.O. BOX 390, REDONDO BEACH, CA 90277.