He served in the National Guard from 1952 to 1961.
He was employed as a Letter Carrier from 1957 to 1990 when he took early retirement. He was very active in the National Association of Letter Carriers – Branch 226 and since 1957 he held every office but President. He was Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer and from 1994 until his death he was Director of Retirees. As the Director of Retirees, he would present a bible to the deceased NALC member’s family at the funeral.
In the 1980’s he was the Union Employee Involvement designee and he was also the Legislative Liaison for Branch 226 for over twenty-five years where he lobbied in Washington, DC on behalf of the NALC.
He served on the Postal Credit Union board of directors which later became First Class American Credit Union where he served as Chairman for many years.
Richard was Chairman of the United Way for Branch 226 and volunteered for many years at the Muscular Dystrophy Association answering phones during the annual telethon.
He received his 60-year pin from the National Association of Letter Carriers in 2017 and Richard had just reached his 62nd year with the NALC.
He was lovingly known as T, Grandpa T, Papa, Ricardo, Rich, Richie, Uncle Sarge and unfortunately sometimes as Richard “Taylor.”
He was married for sixty-one years to the love of his life, Mary Ann (Purvis) Tyler and they would have celebrated their next anniversary on December 7th.
Over the years he held many jobs and growing up his children always remembered that he was a hard worker and worked several jobs each day while they were growing up. He was a parts chaser at Frank Kent Ford, worked at Hadsell’s Paint and Body fixing dents and painting cars. He was employed at Temco in Grand Prairie as an aircraft electrician and became a leadman after a short time. He then worked on the flight line before he was offered a job at Majors Air Force Base in Greenville, Texas. At the base they were responsible for overhauling C54’s, B29’s, B25’s and many other assorted WWII planes. He enjoyed getting to fly in the B29’s and would get to sit by the bubble where the observers sat. For a short time, he was a car salesman and with his quick wit and personality he did very well.
It was about this time that Richard met Mary Ann at the Lone Star Drive Inn soda shop and began dating. They were married on December 7, 1957, which also happens to be the anniversary of Pearl Harbor and his joke was that World War III started then. Richard started working for the USPS as a Letter Carrier that same year. In 1959 he finally got the bid to deliver mail in his beloved Handley area and his route was the Meadowbrook Golf Course. He grew up at that course where he had caddied and played since he was 4 years old. One of his sideline businesses was painting houses and he hired fellow letter carriers to help him paint the homes that were on his delivery route. He also got into the valet business and at one point he would deliver mail until mid-afternoon, paint houses until it got dark and then put on a suit and park cars at country clubs until the early morning hours and get up at 5:00 am and start it all over again the next day. He had the painting business for 14 years.
Once Richard took early retirement from the Post Office it didn’t mean he stopped working. He then worked for Gary Mullins – National Business Agent, as a dealer at casino parties and as a driver for a delivery service. Sometimes both his grandson, Colin and his son, Paul had the opportunity to work together with Richard as dealers at some casino events.
Richard loved classic cars since owning his first car (1937 Plymouth), a 1957 Chevrolet Convertible and a 1967 Ford Mustang to name just a few. He was always up for a card game and would play Hearts, Spades and Poker with any of his kids and grandkids. His favorite card games were Blackjack and Texas Hold ‘Em. He loved his Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers, the blues, restoring antique trunks, Western movies, the Fast and Furious movie franchise and he became a Netflix Connoisseur this year. He was gregarious, quick to laugh, was a big storyteller, loved to be around his family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was known to rig whatever he fixed which got lovingly nicknamed “Richardized” by his children.
Richard is survived by his wife Mary Ann Tyler, son Paul Tyler, daughters Sherry Wilkerson (Danny) and Angela Springmeier (Tom), grandchildren Tara Eddins (Scott), Joshua Wilkerson (fiancé Rachael), Alisha Farr (Jonathan), Caitlin Winchester (Jeff), Amanda Springmeier, Colin Springmeier and Madison Tyler and six great-grandchildren, Gentry, Yates, Weston and Royal Eddins and Ellie and Emory Farr and many more dear family and close friends.
The family would sincerely like to thank the nursing staff and doctors at Arlington Memorial Hospital and the ICU department, Dr. Michael D. Jameson and the caring nurses and staff at Community Hospice of Texas.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Community Hospice of Texas (www.chot.org).
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