Richard Watanabe

Richard Watanabe was born in Webster, Texas on September 4, 1927 to father, Toyozo, and mother, Kisayo. Richard was the seventh of seven children; five sisters, Mae, Mary, Rola, Ella and Alice, and one brother, Ken.

Richard was told that the President of the United States requested that Japan send some Japanese rice farmers to Texas to teach Texas farmers how to grow rice and his young father was one of the Japanese rice farmers picked by the Emperor of Japan. That is how his parents along with three other Japanese families settled around 1910 in Webster, Texas, a town of about 300 at the time with a two story school building where all grades attended, a grocery store, a post office, a filling station, a garage with a mechanic and a church. Richard had a humble, but happy childhood. His parent’s farm which had shifted to growing vegetables since rice farming was not profitable had no electricity or indoor plumbing. The family obtained water from the school for home consumption, had a windmill that pumped water to wash the vegetables and to care for the mules. They used kerosene lamps for light and burned coal in a stove for heat. Richard said he thought everyone lived like his family did and he never felt he was deprived of anything. By high school, things were looking up and the farm had electricity, house water, a telephone and a tractor in place of the mules.

Richard graduated from a class of 16 from Webster High School in 1944 and then started college at The University of Texas in Austin. He completed his freshman and sophomore years, but had to leave school since money was tight and he enlisted in the Air Force. After serving in the Air Force, he was able to return to The University of Texas thanks to the GI Bill and graduated in 1952.

The Japanese American families who settled in the Houston area were a close knit group. They often gathered for picnics or parties and this is how Richard met his future wife, Juanita Sandow. They dated for about five years before marrying on May 14, 1954.

Richard’s work career was as an accountant and primarily as controller for Cunningham Bearing Company.

Richard loved his immediate and extended family and he and Juanita spent time living daily life with them and holidays were always large family gatherings. Two of his sisters, Mae and Rola, lived within a mile of them and they got together often. They would play bridge with Mae and George every Friday night and get together with Rola and Robert to play poker or Tripoly.

Richard enjoyed gardening, a wide variety of music, sports especially those involving the Texas Longhorns, fishing, playing pool, card games, jigsaw puzzles and anything his children and grandchildren were involved in. Richard loved dogs especially the Pekingese breed. His love for Pekingese started when the family won a pedigree Pekingese in a radio contest and the last dog he owned was a Pekingese named Marco who moved from Houston to Dallas with him. Juanita belonged to a sorority and Richard and Juanita had an active social life with many wonderful friends. While in Houston, the family were long time members of Glenbrook Methodist Church, a local neighborhood church.

After Juanita’s death, Richard moved to Dallas, Texas to be near Karen, his daughter, and lived at Highland Springs, a retirement community, and his children are grateful for the opportunities and care he received at Highland Springs. Mike, his son, who lived in Oklahoma at the time of his move told his dad that he could move to Oklahoma, but Richard was firm that he wasn’t leaving Texas. Richard was proud to be a native Texan and an American citizen.

Richard is survived by son Michael Ken Watanabe, wife Robin, of Columbine Valley, Colorado; daughter Karen Lynn Goodwin, husband Mark, of Dallas, Texas; grandchildren Kristin Willis, husband Brett, of Columbine Valley, Colorado, Emily Brooks, husband Denny, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Brent Goodwin of Houston, Texas; great grandchildren Leo Willis, Vivienne Goodwin and George Goodwin; and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends. Richard is preceded in death by his wife Juanita on October 4, 2004, his parents and his siblings.

Richard was 97 years, nine months and nine days of age when he went to be with the Lord on June 13, 2025.

In memory of Richard, the family requests donations in lieu of flowers to Take Me Home Pet Rescue.

Paypal donations can be made online at Tmhpr.com or by check sent to Take Me Home Pet Rescue, P.O. Box 831102 Richardson, TX 75080.

A funeral service for Richard will be held on July 7, 2025, at 1:00 pm at Forest Park East Funeral Home, located at 21620 Gulf Fwy, Webster, TX 77598.

A committal service will be held at 2pm at Forest Park East Cemetery, located at 21620 Gulf Fwy, Webster, TX 77598.