Richard Lee Pouliot

Our beloved husband and father, Rick passed away peacefully in the arms of his wife of 34 years, Colleen. Second of five children, he was born to Amie Delano Pouliot and Mary Patricia Pouliot on an Air Force base, Travis, in Fairfield, California. Much of his early life was spent on Air bases, including 3 formative years wilding the German countryside with his older brother Mike. He lived in Redwood City most of his life. He graduated from Serra High School in 1973, Canada College in 1977, and attended San Jose State University. Blessed with both a natural athleticism and dogged determination, he became a high diver at Serra. He loved tennis and became a superb player on the tennis team at Canada, with a wicked serve. Rick was outgoing, very funny, and tough and resilient. He successfully worked in retail for many years, leaving the Bay Area to follow his dreams and accept an opportunity on the management track at Gemco in Phoenix. When Gemco folded, he again packed up everything into his beloved VW Bug, headed back over the mountains, and returned home. He transitioned to working as a business office manager in a foreign language translations company. He met Colleen on a blind date, and after she graduated from law school and was working in a law firm, they married in 1988. Rick became a stay-at-home dad in the nineties after his children, Darren and Lauren, were born. He was a trailblazer then. Rick and Colleen and their children loved to travel and most of our fondest memories are of good times on many cruises to international destinations. They also enjoyed many summer trips to Maui with Colleen’s parents, Hank and Peg Margiotta. In recent years, Rick fought valiantly against several health challenges, and successfully underwent a double lung transplant in 2020. He always said he had lived a great life and was thankful for the extra time he had following the transplant. In addition to Colleen, Darren and Lauren, he is survived by his siblings: Mike (Jan), Mark, Liesel Short and Kathy Amaya (Paul), and nieces, nephews and cousins. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Peggy, and brothers-in-law Charlie Margiotta (Shari) and Gary Margiotta. He was predeceased by his father Amie Delano Pouliot and mother Mary Patricia Pouliot. Visitation will be held at Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park in San Jose, CA on Thursday October 20, 2022, from 6 pm to 8 pm. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday October 21, 2022, at Oak Hill with interment immediately following the service.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.oakhillfuneral.com for the Pouliot family.