Richard Erwin Leffler

He was born May 5, 1931 in San Diego California. He was the son of Rudy and Mary Leffler. Richard studied piano from ages 6 to 14 years, played the trumpet ages 10 to 15, and also played the trombone. He participated in the Youth for Christ brass quartet from 1946 to 1949. Richard was baptized on July 28, 1941 at College Avenue Baptist Church in San Diego California. He attended Grossmont high school in La Mesa California from 1945 to 1949. After graduation, Richard attended Bethel College in Saint Paul Minnesota from 1949 to 1950. Richard was also in the Naval reserve from 1948 to 1949, and was trained in the submarine school. In 1951 Richard enrolled in the United States Air Force and served until 1953 as a chaplains assistant. He remained on reserve until 1961. After leaving the Air Force Richard married Mary Epler on June 28, 1953, and attended Occidental College from 1954 to 1956 as a music major. He continued his schooling at UCLA and received a BA in music in 1957. He later earned his Masters of Education from San Diego State University in 1967. Richard’s love of music and fine arts led him into teaching from 1959 through 1986, when he retired. Richard taught elementary school and ended his career teaching fine arts to junior high school students. His dedication to his students and his profession led him to make multiple trips to Europe to collect photographs and artifacts which were used in his classrooms. He and his wife Mary moved to Texas in June 2001 to live near his oldest daughter and her family. Richard and his wife Mary were the directors of the Encouragers Bible class at Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth from 2002 to 2012. Richard‘s favorite Bible verse was John 3:16 and his favorite Him was “It is Well with my Soul. Just like any good Texan, Richard loved to eat at his favorite restaurants: Babes (and his family has his Babes chicken-face photo to prove it), The Cattleman’s and Charleston‘s. Richard had many avocations and interests during his life. He was a ham radio operator since 1958, earning an extra class license as W5REL. Richard was a photographer and award-winning three star exhibitor, and a photography judge. He also authored and self-published the book “Where are all the Angels?” In 1994. In his young adult days he used his musical experience to start a music publishing and recording company called Dell King Publishers. He recorded many choral works for universities and others. As music was his main Muse throughout his lifetime, he wrote many musical composition’s — 31 coral pieces, six psalms, nine vocal pieces, five Hymns, a Christmas oratorio, 45 instrumentals, 30 gospel songs, and over 132 pieces for the piano.

Richard is survived by his daughters, Pauline Johnson of Fredericksburg Virginia and Susan Chase and her husband Kimball Chase, of San Dimas California, 5 granddaughters, a niece and nephew, and 1 grand niece.