He believed in second chances, and that no one should be defined by their mistakes and that everyone had something of worth to contribute and truly believed that everyone was capable of something great. He noticed kindness, he appreciated it. No gesture was ever too small and he never forgot the people who showed him kindness along the way. In return, he gave freely of himself. If someone needed help they knew to call Richard. He knew what it meant to be a friend and valued his lifelong friendships he made along the way. He had a generous heart and a deep instinct to take care of people. He was a true animal lover too, who brought home many critters who needed a home and when it came to the people he loved, Richard was fiercely protective.
Family was the center of his life, he believed time spent together was never wasted. He understood something that feels even more precious now: one of the greatest things we can give the people we love is memories. He wanted his family—especially the children—to experience life, to have adventures, to laugh and someday to have stories of their own to tell.
Richard made sure there were good memories and stories. He was kind and humble, incredibly smart and inventive, curious about the world, and he believed in seizing the day, taking chances, going on adventures, and figuring out the details along the way.
Fishing and hunting were lifelong loves, but they were only the beginning. Richard scuba dived and snorkeled, he loved the outdoors and sports, he even flew a Cessna plane once. He loved to barbecue for family and friends. If there was an adventure to be had, chances are Richard had tried it—or was willing to; he was fearless that way. But perhaps the most important thing about Richard was not all the extraordinary things he did. He loved sharing the experience with everyone. A day spent fishing became a memory, a trip became a story and now, those memories mean more than he could ever have imagined.
We will remember his adventures and his stories. We will remember how smart he was, how he could invent or figure out just about anything, how he could bring a rusty old engine roaring back to life, his generosity, his humility, and the way he showed up when someone needed him. We will remember a man who believed that family came first, and that life was meant to be lived fully.
Most of all, we will remember how deeply he loved us.
Richard spent his life giving his family memories. Those memories are now part of his legacy, carried forward in the stories we tell, the laughter we share, the adventures we take, and the lives of the people who were fortunate enough to be loved by him.
He taught us, simply by the way he lived that time with the people you love is never wasted and he was right.
He is survived by his loving wife, Patricia J. Chapa; daughter, Dr. Patricia R. Biondolillo (Evie), and grandchildren, Tristan McIntyre, Tyler McIntyre, and Nolan Biondolillo; son, Juan A. Ramirez (Belinda), and granddaughters, Lexie Sophia and Lunita Itzel; sisters, Rosa DeLeija, Amadita Chapa-Reyes, his nephew, Ricardo Chapa-Reyes, and Dr. Dolores Bailey; and his half-siblings, Lidia, Hector, Lupe, Mike, Janie, Mary, Carlos, Chelo, Enrique, Ernesto and Ramiro.
Ricardo was preceded in death by his maternal grandmother, Amada M. Garcia †; his mother, Ofelia Garcia †; his father, Ricardo Chapa †; and his half brother, Robert Chapa †.
Visitation will be held at Funeraria Del Angel Buena Vista, 125 Mcdavitt Blvd, Brownsville, TX 78521, on September 11, 2026, from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm. with Rosary at 7:00 pm.
