Richard, of Lucerne Valley, California, died at age 74, and is survived by his brother and friends. Richard was a fan of racing but did not like Nascar, he loved big cars and all animals. He was a giving person with a kind soul. He will be missed by all who knew him.
Rick and i became friends in high school. Our common interest was drag racing. We called each otther "Race".
Rick had a 1953 Yellow Chevy gasser. He raced it at the old Irwindale drag strip. It wasn't the fastest car, but he had lots of fun building it.
Rick also drove a 1956 Chevy panel truck that he bought from Piwonka Bros. Glass on South Pasadena. We called it Rick's trick truck. The colunm shifter arm came off but it didn't deter him from using the remaining 3 inch arm to shift with. I remember riding in the back of it coming down from Big Bear to Lucerne Valley in a lawn chair holding for dear life. Talk about a wild ride.
Rick's life changed that fateful day when he had his head trauma. Never to speak again, he lived the rest of his life in a care facility.
I fortunate to see him at our class of 1967 50th reunion.
I met Rick in the 6th grade when he came to Holy Family grade school. We began a friendship that lasted through his accident and after. I became his partner with his 53 Chevy gasser and he kept it at my house after the garage he was rentting in SoPas was no longer available. He also stayed with my family for about a week prior to his leaving for basic training at Ft. Ord. Myself and Chris Veir drove up in her dads MG for his graduation. It was a memorable drive because the car broke down in Santa Barbara on the drive back.
A few years after we were both out of the service we rented a garage in an industrial area in Monrovia where we kept the 53 and another friends race car and also started to do some auto repair work for a little extra cash. I was living in my apartment in SoPas and Rick was living with his girlfriend in an apartment in Alhambra. Rick was helping a friend at Wedmore Auto Repair where the accident occured. About a week or so before his accident we had attended the funeral for Joe Czerkas; that was one of the last things we did together. When he was released from the care facility, over a year after the accident, I would visit him at his parents home and I'd take him to Tops Jr. in Alhambra one of our favorite places to eat. I would still visit him after I bought my home in Duarte. I took him to our 10th reunion since I still lived in the area but after I got married and moved to Mission Viejo I saw him a couple times but it became difficult. The below photo is from our 40th reunion and the Holy Family group that were there. L to R: Jim Stewart, Rick McDonald, Jim Craven, Sue Trares, Jack Rogers and myself.
Rick and I were good friends and I have a lot of great memories. RIP buddy.
Mary Kathryn Goeken (Simonis) (1967)
I'm so sorry to hear about Rick. He was a great friend in school. Rest in peace Rick.
Ken Stowe (1967)
Rick and i became friends in high school. Our common interest was drag racing. We called each otther "Race".
Rick had a 1953 Yellow Chevy gasser. He raced it at the old Irwindale drag strip. It wasn't the fastest car, but he had lots of fun building it.
Rick also drove a 1956 Chevy panel truck that he bought from Piwonka Bros. Glass on South Pasadena. We called it Rick's trick truck. The colunm shifter arm came off but it didn't deter him from using the remaining 3 inch arm to shift with. I remember riding in the back of it coming down from Big Bear to Lucerne Valley in a lawn chair holding for dear life. Talk about a wild ride.
Rick's life changed that fateful day when he had his head trauma. Never to speak again, he lived the rest of his life in a care facility.
I fortunate to see him at our class of 1967 50th reunion.
Rest in peace "Race".
Chris Veir (Uebele) (1967)
Rick was one of the nicest guys around, he always had a smile.I am lucky to have called him my good friend.
Thank you Rick.
Chris Veir (Uebele)
Stephen Bauman (1967)
I met Rick in the 6th grade when he came to Holy Family grade school. We began a friendship that lasted through his accident and after. I became his partner with his 53 Chevy gasser and he kept it at my house after the garage he was rentting in SoPas was no longer available. He also stayed with my family for about a week prior to his leaving for basic training at Ft. Ord. Myself and Chris Veir drove up in her dads MG for his graduation. It was a memorable drive because the car broke down in Santa Barbara on the drive back.
A few years after we were both out of the service we rented a garage in an industrial area in Monrovia where we kept the 53 and another friends race car and also started to do some auto repair work for a little extra cash. I was living in my apartment in SoPas and Rick was living with his girlfriend in an apartment in Alhambra. Rick was helping a friend at Wedmore Auto Repair where the accident occured. About a week or so before his accident we had attended the funeral for Joe Czerkas; that was one of the last things we did together. When he was released from the care facility, over a year after the accident, I would visit him at his parents home and I'd take him to Tops Jr. in Alhambra one of our favorite places to eat. I would still visit him after I bought my home in Duarte. I took him to our 10th reunion since I still lived in the area but after I got married and moved to Mission Viejo I saw him a couple times but it became difficult. The below photo is from our 40th reunion and the Holy Family group that were there. L to R: Jim Stewart, Rick McDonald, Jim Craven, Sue Trares, Jack Rogers and myself.
Rick and I were good friends and I have a lot of great memories. RIP buddy.
Steve Bauman