Richard J. Baughman, born on August 22, 1933, in Boise, ID to Effie A. and James F. Baughman, passed away on February 4, 2019. As a young man, Richard gained valuable skills while building houses with his father. He was an adept electrician, mason, and carpenter. Richard joined the United States Army, served in the Korean War, and then earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Idaho. He met and married Patricia Morgan while working on his degree. After graduation, they relocated to California in 1961, before moving to Las Vegas where he began working at the Test Site. In 1969, along with Stephen Turner and Jay Haught, he opened Baughman, Haught and Turner, Inc. which later became Baughman and Turner, Inc. Richard obtained his pilot’s license and flew his small planes to visit family, conduct business, and hunt and fish in several states. Friends and family were continuously amazed at his ability to spot wild game in a variety of environments, and his skills as a young fly fisherman were mentioned in “Field and Stream.” He was licensed to practice in Nevada, Utah, Idaho, California, and Arizona. He was a member of the Southern NV Chapter of the National Society of Professional Engineers, and was invited to join the Quiet Birdmen in 1983 along with one of his best friends, George Brizendine. Richard was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Diana Lyn; his wife of fifty-three years, Patricia Baughman; and his son, James “Jeff” Baughman. He is survived by his daughters Kathryn (Bill) Wendland and Patricia (Warren) Cobb; his younger brother, Joseph (Betsy) Baughman of Boise, ID, his younger sister, Phyllis (Leland) Bollinger of Meridian, ID; his nine grandchildren: William (Maricel) Wendland, Wayne Wendland, Emma Pollard, Jared Baughman, Delaney Cobb, Dane Cobb, Addison Cobb, Preston Cobb, and Mason Cobb; one great grandson, William Wendland; and his “buddy,” Fran Ernest, all of Las Vegas. A celebration of life dinner will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at 5:30 pm (please RSVP to [email protected] for location), and a burial will be held on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at 11:00 am at Palm’s Northwest location.
