Richard Styve

History: Richard was born December 26, 1929, in Winnebago, MN to Ole and Kathryn Styve. He began his career with the U.S. Navy when he was 17 in order to see the world, and abundantly fulfilled his ambitions by traveling to every continent in the world except Antarctica during his 22 years of service. He married the love of his life, Margaret Lewis, on February 14, 1954, and they moved to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where he served on a sea rescue ship. During their time in Cuba, they spent many happy hours fishing. In the summer of 1955 they moved to Southern CA where he was assigned to service various Navy crafts. In December 1956 their daughter Kathryn was born. In early 1958 Richard was transferred to Seattle WA to an ice-breaker vessel, and he spent long months on board ship and missed the birth of his second daughter Kelli. In summer of 1960 the family moved around California as Richard attended Navy training facilities until he was transferred to Sasebo, Japan in December 1962. The family boarded a big cruise ship for the move to Japan, which took 2 weeks including a stopover in Hawaii. Half the family was seasick for the whole trip, and have no fond memories of the voyage.

Richard was stationed on the USS Ajax out of Sasebo, leaving his family to adapt to living in a foreign country. Their daughter Kristi was born in 1964 in Japan, and the older girls have many memories of the adventure of living in a country so different from the US. Margaret has fewer happy memories, but loved the people she met while there.

The family returned to California in 1965 where Richard finished his Navy career as a recruiter in Lancaster. After retirement, the family moved to Amarillo, Texas where Richard accepted a position as a NJROTC instructor at Tascosa High School. Richard retired from teaching after 10 years. True to his strong work ethic, he continued to work in various capacities until their move to Fort Worth in 1996. He also volunteered for many years with Meals on Wheels and tutoring students, and even tried his hand at raising doves.

During their retirement, Richard and Margaret spent more than 10 years traversing the US in their RV. Richard loved to relate the story of him and Margaret coming to an intersection and flipping a coin to decide which direction to go. Those years were some of the happiest of his life. He loved to build things, and his daughters treasure the beds, bookcases and raised gardens that he built by hand. He could fix anything, and he was in high demand for everyone’s chores around their houses. He shared his love of travel with his family, and rounded up his grandkids and his daughter Kristi one summer and headed to Disneyland in an RV. The highlight of the trip, according to the grandkids, was going to the showers each evening in the RV park.

His family greatly appreciated the many adventures they experienced with Richard leading the way, and he will be greatly missed.The family would like to thank DeeDee Rios with Ruby Slippers for her care and kindness over the past several months. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Meals on Wheels or Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Survivors:Spouse: Margaret Lewis Styve Daughters: Kathryn Ortega of Carrollton TX

Kelli Bullard and husband, Steve, of Amarillo, TX Kristi Gillispie and husband, Charlie, of Claude, TX

Grandchildren: Aaron Ortega of Portland, OR Alyssa Ortega of Carrollton, TX Michael Fink of Shorewood, MN Johnathan Reed of Amarillo Jancey Bullard and spouse, Rebecca Morelos of McKinney, TX JP Bullard of Amarillo Great grandchildren: Abbi Reed and Deklen Reed of Amarillo Leela Tompkins of Carrollton TX Brother: O.W. (Bubs) Styve and wife Beverly of Treasure Island, FL Sister: Betty Lou McBride of Redwood Falls, MN

Preceded in Death by: Father Orloff Styve, Mother Kathryn Styve, Stepmother Doris Styve, Brother Clair Styve.

Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10am on January 3 at Westminster Presbyterian Church at 2525 Wimberly, Amarillo, TX.