Richard A. O'Heren

Richard Anthony O’Heren, 80, recently of Sherwood OR, passed away Friday, July 25th, 2014 at home, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. He was born February 24, 1934 in Detroit MI but grew up in Cleveland OH. He attended Lakewood High School, John Carol University, and graduated from Ohio State School of Optometry in 1957. Following graduation he served in the United States Army as an Optometrist at Madigan Hospital in Tacoma WA. Richard was a life member of the Cleveland Federation of Musicians, having joined when he was 16 years old. He worked his way through college playing bass violin in his father’s (Dick O’Heren) dance bands around the Cleveland area. Throughout his life, while his profession was Optometry, he played piano or bass weekends in dance bands wherever he lived. Once he played bass in the pit orchestra with part of the Washington DC Symphony Orchestra for a Washington DC Ballet performance of The Nutcracker Suite, in Frederick MD. After he retired from CIGNA Health Care in Phoenix, he joined his daughter Diann, Principle Flute, and played bass with the Scottsdale AZ Symphony. Later he played bass with the Henderson NV Symphony. On the piano, you name the tune and he could play it - - oldies, show tunes. Richard is survived by his wife, Lorraine Weaver O’Heren, from Phoenix AZ, (they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in May, 2014); daughters Pamela Rider, Sherwood OR; Jann Cates-Redele, La Hulpe, Belgium; Diann Cates, Durango CO; son Michael O’Heren, Las Vegas NV; and sister Anne O’Heren Jakob, New Orleans LA. His late brother, Daniel P. O’Heren, was also from New Orleans . His parents were Richard Francis O’Heren and Anna Golobic O’Heren, Cleveland. He has 11 grandchildren: Carly Diggs, Luke Rider, Kenneth Rider, Christy Tanner, Jeffrey Rider, Daniel Rider, Easton Belling, Brice Belling, Briley Belling, Laurence Redele and Evelyne Redele. Five great grandchildren are Melody, Brogan, Lily and Zaida Diggs, and Wesley Tanner. In lieu of flowers, a donation in Richard’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Foundation would be appreciated. A Memorial Service will be held Sunday, August 3rd, 2014 at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church Memorial Garden in Wilsonville Oregon at 5:00 pm.