Richard Mears

When someone is identified as a natural leader, certain images come to mind. First thoughts are of a no-nonsense, tough-minded, dedicated and disciplined person. This description accurately fits Richard Mears who was indeed a born manager. He will be remembered as being highly organized, practical and realistic. He was a person who always carried a strong sense of duty with him throughout his life. Possessed with traditional “old school” morals, Richard was an individual who clearly communicated to those around him just who he was and what he was all about. Everyone acquainted with Richard knew him as a well-respected man who was a stable force in his community.

Richard was born on June 3, 1926 at French Hospital in Los Angeles, California. His parents were Edward and Aurora Mears. Richard was raised in Los Angeles, California. Even as a youngster, Richard learned to be objective and decisive. His faith in the principles of authority and dependability was something that he carried with him throughout his life.

As a young boy, Richard was able to put his natural abilities to work. He was a bit like the sergeant of the family, helping to make sure that the others did what they should do and that they avoided those things they weren’t supposed to. In other words, he liked to organize and direct. Richard was raised with one sibling. He had one older brother, Leonard. Richard had an inborn appreciation for the order in the family, allowing for the oldest members to be the most respected and to take on the most responsibility. For Richard, this was a natural order of life, one he gladly embraced.

Richard's matter-of-fact attitude about most things was developed during his childhood. As a young boy, Richard enjoyed being part of teams, and organizations and groups of other kids who shared similar interests. Richard took part in track. In his spare time he liked marbles.

In school, Richard was as close to being a model student as one could possibly imagine. He sought to achieve perfect attendance in all of his classes. He would eagerly complete his homework, and often put in extra study time when he felt it was necessary. A logical and focused thinker, Richard was always good at following directions and meeting his schedules, whether they were set by his teachers or were self-imposed. Richard’s personal motto could well have been, “Do it right the first time.” He graduated from Cathedral High School in 1943. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was history.

Richard was sociable and approachable. Because he was always so straightforward in how he approached relationships, friends and family knew that what they saw was always what they got. He enjoyed the camaraderie of being with a group of friends. When Richard was a member of a group, his interaction worked to keep the others grounded. He wasn’t afraid to confront his friends and, when necessary, he challenged them to stick to the task at hand. Those close to Richard came to expect his high standards of performance. While growing up, some of his best friends were Eddie Gomez, Harry Fat Manuel.

An objective and conscientious individual, Richard reveled in the security of his family. On March 15, 1952 Richard exchanged wedding vows with Esther Moreno in Yuma, Arizona. One of Richard’s most endearing qualities was his uncanny ability to remember important dates and anniversaries, and his unending enthusiasm for organizing a celebration for his family and friends.

Richard was ever watchful of his children. He worried about them and was deeply concerned for their development as they grew up. He maintained a firm hand in their upbringing. Richard would give his stamp of approval to their requests, as long as he could see how they might benefit. He also had the ability to enforce the rules as needed to ensure that his children were properly raised. Richard was blessed with seven children, three sons, Jesse, Richard and Alfred and four daughters, Sandra, Patricia, Patsy and Cynthia. They were also blessed with 16 grandchildren, Jessie Lee, Cathy, Patsy, Richard, Jason, Christina, Chad, Quinn, Tommy, John, Joseph, Catherine, Kaile, Brian, Eric and Jason.

Being a hard worker who praised efficiency, Richard was always striving to make improvements where they were necessary. He was able to analyze situations and problems, keeping everything and everyone on track. An excellent project supervisor, Richard was a person who could quickly make decisions based on the information available. He worked cooperatively and expected the same from his colleagues. In both his personal and professional environments, Richard upheld his standards. His primary occupation was electrician. He was employed for 40 years by Newbury Electric Company. Richard was a team player who certainly lived out the motto of “give me a job, and I will get it done.”

Richard was a Navy veteran. His sense of duty helped lead him into the military where his understanding of rank, his willingness to abide by rules and regulations and his desire to follow orders was admired by his fellow service men and women. He was a 17 year old in WWII assigned to the carrier USS Yorktown and served in the Pacific. Richard saw action for two years on the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Second Class Petty Officer.

Richard approached his leisure time in the same manner that he approached his life. A person who enjoyed being neat and orderly and one who understood the nature of things, he appreciated the hours he was able to devote to his various hobbies. His favorite pursuits were horse races. Richard was content to enjoy his favorite pastimes alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Playing by the rules was a natural thing for Richard to do in life and that carried over to his enjoyment of sports. In high school, Richard ran track. Recreational sports included golf. He also was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were college football, golf and baseball.

When it came time to travel or take a vacation, Richard used his scheduling expertise to make sure everyone and everything was ready to go. That also meant that he made certain no single person was overworked in putting the trip together. Richard had a knack for making sure that everyone who was involved had their specific tasks and that those tasks were completed. Favorite vacations included Hawaii, High Sierra's, camping, South Africa, China and traveling throughout Europe, Mexico and Japan.

Richard was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Richard’s favorites was Midnight, a Black Labrador. They were best friends for 18 years.

When Richard’s retirement finally arrived in 1988, he was well prepared. He used his critical evaluation skills to make sure that every detail had been preplanned and attended to. In retirement, he found new pleasure in golfing as often as possible. In many ways, Richard loved retirement. It provided him with the opportunity to catch up with his friends, attend functions and group outings, and tackle new interesting activities.

Richard passed away on June 27, 2010 at home in West Covina, California. He is survived by his wife, Esther, his children Sandra, Richard, Patricia and Cynthia and his grandchildren. Services were held at St. Christopher Catholic Church in West Covina, California. Richard was laid to rest in Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

All who knew him would agree that Richard was a pillar of the community. He lived his life with his feet firmly on the ground. He had a strong work ethic, was pragmatic in his thoughts and acts, and constantly sought the means for self-improvement. He was willing to share his ideas and knowledge for the benefit of others, so that they could accomplish more in their lives. Richard Mears did his best to ensure that his family, friends, loved ones, co-workers, and everyone whose life he touched was given the chance to become a better person.