Richard Layton

He was born on September 11,1936, in Tunnelton, WV., to Bradley & Violet Layton. He is preceded in death by his parents, the love of his life and wife Jill Layton and siblings, Carl, Gracie & Wink.

He is survived by his Children: Marsha (Leigh), Cindy (Denny), Wendy (Marty) & Sean; Siblings: Sandy and Wanda; Grandchildren: Angie (Keith), Jennifer, Brittany and Kylie, along with Sean’s children, Lauren, Kristen, Aaron, Justin & Trenton, and great grandchildren; Nephew Jerry (Kathy), as well as his dearest friends Larry and Kay, along with Bobby and Gloria. Last, but not least, his fur babies Rambo and Skylar.

To know Dick was to love him, and when he met Jill 40 some years ago they had the time of their lives. As Jill used to say, if anything exciting was happening it was happening at the local restaurant, Mr. T’s. Unbeknownst to the two of them their friends knew that Dick and Jill belonged together, and these friends wouldn’t take no for an answer and, as the saying goes, the rest is history.

Dick was a man with a strong work ethic that was amazing. He was one of the best in the bread industry and had a loyal following of customers, but when retirement came around he was out of there!! He wanted to travel and see the country, and my golly that is what he did, with Jill and his buddies. To say that they had adventures would be an understatement!!!

One thing for sure the guy loved being outside, he was a true country boy, it always amazed us every year during Morrel mushroom season for this man could spot one a mile away - simply amazing! Now Jill hated mushrooms so when it came time to cook them she was nowhere to be found, but that man could cook up some mean mushrooms and fish for that matter! Of all the memories of this gentle and kind man was his love for nature and accepting everyone for who they were. He loved nothing more than having fires outside and sitting around the fire with family and friends and telling stories. Now when it came to buying something it was always go big or go home, he was never one to skimp, if it was a leaf blower or a shop vac it just had to be the biggest made!!!!

Throughout his life he loved wildlife, yeah he did hunt but he loved to feed his birds, squirrels, deer, groundhog and whatever else wandered into the yard. This man could grow a mean tomato and his garden was something to behold!!! Again, Go big or Go home!!

As they aged and life got harder they had to sell the home of their dreams and they moved to Columbus, where both Dick and Jill fought cancer, COPD, bad hearts and kidney failure. When Jill passed Dick was a little lost but he rallied and he refused to sit still, he even found out he liked Mexican and Chinese food. He even got a chance to meet some of Wendy & Marty’s friends and the neighbors Martha and Alex became a life line for him with the loss of Jill.

At Thanksgiving Dick got a cold, or so he thought, till finally the squad came and for 3 weeks he was a trooper! He overcame pneumonia, and was at long last being released to go to rehab - oh happy day!!! But as life so often does it threw us a curve ball and he only got 14 hours in rehab. To say that the world lost a wonderful and gentle man is an understatement.

So to you dear Dick, thank you for having the biggest heart of anyone we have ever known, and for having enough love for everyone. Thank you for showing us what a good father looks like, what commitment looks like, and what love looks like. Thank you for giving more than Thank you for giving more than receiving. Thank you for being you!

On a personal note from Wendy, thank you for loving my mom and loving us, you truly were a remarkable man and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to call dad.

Now dear man, be with the one person you loved more than life, I am sure that heaven is much livelier now.

And as you know:

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, TOTALLY worn out and LOUDLY proclaiming…WOW! What a Ride

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” Dr. Suess