Richard Livingston Googins

Googins, Richard “Dick” passed away peacefully at Lakewood Retirement Community in Richmond, VA on January 18, 2021 after living a very full life of 95 years. Dick was predeceased by his parents Augustus and Dorothy Armel Googins, brother Dr. John (Jack) and sister Georgia Traxel and is survived by his wife of 38 years, Mary Ann Gill Googins. Dick will be remembered lovingly by his children Richard Googins, Christine (Bob) Scott , Dan (Kim) Googins, and Nancy (Bruce) Downs, Step children Laura (Richard) Wingold and Bryan (Tracey) Wingold and grandchildren Rachel Shields, Ruthie Taylor, Christopher Downs, Blaise Wingold, Maya Wingold and Sean Wingold. He is also survived by his great grandchildren Ashley Googins, Zakk Karsolich, Juliet Shields, Parker Taylor and Pippa Taylor. Dick was born in Kansas on November 23, 1925. He served in the Navy in WWII. He graduated from University of Maryland specializing in soil science. Upon graduation, Dick lived with his family on a farm in Kansas before joining the Soil Conservation Service with the USDA. Dick married Mary Ann in 1982 and lived in Hanover, VA as well as multiple cities in Oregon, before returning to Virginia. Dick enjoyed the outdoors, to include pulling weeds, rock hounding, archeology digs, cross country skiing. Other favorites that made him smile were green jello dessert, spice drops, visits with family and friends, church, bible study, teaching English as a second language, and so much more. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Nature Conservancy at nature.org.