Richard J Vanderpool

When Richard J Vanderpool walked into the room, those in his company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Richard was and how he impacted those around him. Richard was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Richard wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Richard was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve him well throughout his life.

Richard was born on May 2, 1961 at Monrovia Hospital in Monrovia, California. He was the son of Ronald & Jackie Vanderpool. Richard was raised in El Monte, California. Always at the ready with a good joke, he grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Richard might describe him as an idealist, his friends and family understood well that Richard was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to him.

Richard was raised with three siblings. He had 3 sisters, Jill, Tammy and Peggy. Richard was very accepting and supportive of his family. He was perceived as the central person in his family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Richard was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Richard well in his adult life and, along with his wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew him.

As a young boy, Richard was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew him into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Richard was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with his peers. He was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. In his spare time he liked to build model ships, cars and airplanes. Richard had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity he and the many childhood friends he shared might discover. He was in the Boy Scouts of America-Explorer Division from age 9 to 17. In 1976 he won a trip to the Olympics with his divison.

During his high school years, Richard responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. He graduated from El Monte High School in 1979. Richard was a very good student, and generally did well in his courses. Richard absorbed as much as he could from all of his teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using his imagination to master his assignments. For Richard, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to his ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Richard a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to him to discuss just about anything. His favorite class in high school was Journalism.

With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought him an endless stream of friends, Richard was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Richard was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. He always seemed aware of what was going on with people around him and throughout his life he made many, many friends. While growing up, his best friend was Victor Martinez. Later in life, he became friends with the Paldi family,the Carrillo family, Marty & Cindy Chasse, Richard Farenelli, Jeremy, Scott and fellow co-workers at Timet.

On August 18, 1984 Richard married Peggy Ann Oliver at Little Chapel of the West of Las Vegas, Nevada. Richard's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in his ability to make his new family happy. He was quite sensitive towards Peggy's needs, showing his constant concern and fondness. Richard was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served him well in helping to nurture his family.

Richard was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide his family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Richard, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of his life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Vanderpool home. Richard's skill at understanding his children's feelings, his sensitivity to their needs, and his gift for gentle persuasion enabled him to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Richard was blessed with three: One son, Russell, two daughters, Melissa and Sara. They were also blessed with Nine, grandchildren, Haylie, Shayla, Russell, Bella, Shelby, Bubba, Desi, Jacob and Joseph.

Richard was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made him an exceptional worker. His primary occupation was a Furnace Operator. He was employed 23 years for Timet. Richard was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize him. Richard had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of his gift for insight. Richard's fellow workers saw him as a supporter and a mentor.

Because Richard loved to have a broad variety of activities in his life, he took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. His favorite pursuits were metal fabrication, wood working, drawing, jet skiing, music and being a practical joker. Richard had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of his favorite pastimes. However, Richard's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

Richard derived much satisfaction from recreational sports,which included jet skiing and being a lifetime member of the NRA. Richard was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list was NASCAR.

Though he never did anything solely for individual recognition, Richard's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and selflessness, earned him accolades for his many lifelong efforts. His most prestigious award was Distinguisted Expert Marksman.

In 2005, Richard and Peggy relocated to Bullhead City, Arizona.

Richard's love of improvising in his daily life was a perfect fit for his enjoyment of traveling. His favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit his personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Richard took his vacations seriously, well, as seriously as he possibly could. Favorite vacations included road trip with son, Russell to Daytona, Florida to see the Pepsi 400 NASCAR Race and going to Lake Mohave with family and friends for some jet skiing and sun.

Richard was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. Ruffus his Black Labrador, was a best friend for 7 years.

When Richard's retirement finally came in 2011, Richard handled it the way he usually did. He adapted and, like everything in his life, made it satisfying. Because he was such a flexible person and able to adjust to any situation, retirement was just another enjoyable change of pace for Richard to master. Even in retirement, Richard continued to stay in touch with his old friends and like always, made plenty of new ones.

Richard Vanderpool passed away on August 8, 2011 at Western Arizona Regional Medical Center, Bullhead City, Arizona. He fought a brave battle against cancer. He is survived by his wife, Peggy, children, Russell, Melissa and Sara; grandchildren, Haylie, Shayla, Russell, Bella, Shelby, Bubba, Desi, Jacob and Joseph; his sisters, Jill, Tammy and Peggy; his Daughter-in-law, Diane; and Sons-in-law, Carlos and Justin. Services were held at Canyon Ridge Christian Church.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Richard. He was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. He had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While he was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Richard Vanderpool for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Richard was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with his loved ones., Bullhead City, AZ.