Captain Richard Clement Timothy Jr.

Captain Richard C. Timothy, Jr., passed away at the age of 94 on August 13, 2025. Captain Timothy, affectionately known as “Tim,” was born on January 21, 1931, in New York, New York, the first of two sons born to Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Timothy, Sr.

Tim met and married the one and only love of his life, Patricia “Pat” Osteen, more than sixty-five years ago, following his six years of active-duty service in the United States Air Force. Tim also served six years in the Air Force Reserves and started a long, distinguished career as a pilot with Delta Airlines in 1957, with Pat by his side as his career flourished. Tim was beyond proud to have served his country. He remained a patriot his entire life and maintained a constant love for his country.

In his early years, Tim was adventurous, athletic, and mischievous—the latter trait lasting a lifetime, as those who knew him can attest. Tim developed a fondness for the outdoors in his youth, which ultimately led him to become a well-rounded sportsman, fishing and hunting in beautiful places, such as the northwestern United States, western Canada, the Rocky Mountains, and coastal areas of Mexico and Costa Rica. It was only fitting that Tim moved to the “Sportsman’s Paradise,” Louisiana, at a relatively young age, where he wholly embraced the culture, owning a Lafitte skiff shrimp boat; buying into the best ever fishing “camp,” the Taj Mahal (a residential barge at the mouth of the Mississippi River); and obtaining a license to trap and hunt alligators, among other adventures. Tim instilled in his children a love for the outdoors and taught them to hunt, fish, and appreciate conservationism and the wonders of the sports he loved. If you met Tim later in his life, you’d have no idea he was born and raised in a city, much less in New York. He didn’t mind when people mistook him for an “actual” Cajun—and you certainly would make this mistake if you heard him tell any of his hundreds of “Boudreaux and Thibodeaux” jokes, which he would recount with minimal prodding and maximum recall.

It is difficult to describe Tim in small print because he was so large in life. It might be easier to simply describe him in words, such as these: moral, honorable, funny, family man, devoted, reliable, devout Catholic, upbeat, positive, faithful, and proud, especially of his wife, children, grandchildren and their many accomplishments.

In addition to Pat, Tim is survived by four of his five children, J. Gregory Timothy, Catherine Noel Eppling (Tommy), Elizabeth Timothy (Edward Cangelosi), and Patrick Timothy. He is also survived by his three grandchildren, Grace Noel Kerr (David), Timothy Noel, and Erin Timothy Tomme (Adam); six great grandchildren; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

Tim was preceded in death by his parents, his brother (Raymond J. Timothy), and his son (Richard).

Although Tim lived a long and good life, his passing has still been very difficult for his family and friends because he was such an important and integral part of their daily lives—a treasured patriarch of the family. But there is comfort in knowing that Tim died at peace, surrounded by his family, having received Last Rites just minutes before his last flight, a one-way trip to heaven. “To fly west, my friend, is a flight we all must take for a final check.”

Family and friends are invited to visit with the family on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, 312 Lafitte Street, Mandeville, LA 70448 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. A funeral mass will immediately follow the visitation, commencing at noon.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to any service organization affiliated with a branch of the United States military.