Once a Marine, always a Marine!  That's what Pat always tells me when he was alive and he always live in my heart, part of my life and in everlasting memories.  There is not a day that I did not think of him.  EACH time I hear the song, I remembered his BLUE eyes which I used to tease him (since I had brown eyes) - so jealous of him indeed.  His resting place is in Dixon, California (Northern California VA cemetery) and his rank was SGT!  A very proud one and he was VERY good!  Do visit him if you are passing by in that part of the world and say hello to him - he was a very NICE guy and he would love you to talk to you.  We attended a "Memmorial Day service" together 2 years ago in VA hospital @ Palo Alto to remember another servie man, a very moving meeting.  Hope you enjoyed this song about the "BLUE" eyes......Love his blue eyes.......such sweet memories....my dear darling Pat.....love, always, forever and soon, we will be togther....and meet again...and be together again.....really miss you......my sweetheart!!!

given to him by one of the island girls....ummmm.....sexy....

He got "LEI" from an island girl !!!  


P.S. You have to say it and you will get a 'kick' out of what you just said - it is a local joke indeed.


His happy days in Hawaii (in front      of the PINK Palace - also the most famous local hotel in Honolulu - the Royal Hawaiian Hotel !!!!!

for those who knows Honolulu - you would know where the 'pink palace' is ???

  In the mid 70's Pat was stationed in Atlanta, Georgia at the  Marine District  headquarters. Every year Atlanta holds it's tradional March of Dimes 'Walkathon/Marathon." Hundreds of people participate. Pat participated and  represnted the Marine Corps  along with other Marines.
   Pat won first place. He is picured in his Marine sweat suit and holding his trophy. He completed the twenty mile run in less than 3 hours beating out everyone else ! 
  Even in later life Pat  was active in keeping physically fit.
His walking was legendary!
  Today, would of been Pat's 61st birthday so I added this newspaper picture and article to honor him.

Brother.................Bill Richards
  

Thanks to his brother Bill, the only official picture to show off his service as an USMC.

Showing off his trip to San Francisco - a proof by posing in front of the famous cable car!


Ha, ha, ha !  

One of his many rentals during our many trips to Hawaii -  a convertible Mustang !
WOW!  It was funny that we encountered an unexpected shower and we were trying to figure out how to use this convertible top because  we had the top DOWN and now it was RAINING!  Not much fun when you have to stay dry and figure out what to do and which button to push!   Quite a chaos.   Always, Mr. Murphy always played with people - the least expected - always messed people up!  Next time, when you rent a  convertible, may sure you know how to work the top FIRST!  We leared the hard way! 

It was one of the many happy times on earth for him!

Could not be more handsome?   Would you not agree???  He was such a handsome man and truly missed eternally.


{julie, his widow}  

Hawaii, of course!  It was his favorite vacation spot and we were there too many times (dozens and more) but he loved it every time and the photos showed.


{julie, his widow}

Never a day in his life was he not proud of his service as an USMC.  I'm so glad that he had served his country well and was able to be part amongst the group - "the few, the proud, the Marines" !


He is missed dearly daily !  

Pat can be found on the public records @ the California [Dixon] Cemetary directory in case anyone wants to know where he is located at.


Service records shown was only for his rank as a SGT in the USMC.


[posted by his widow]    

This was his last rank in the Marine Corps only.  He served longer than that and I'm contacting the USMC for verification, confirmation and modification to his public records.
[posted by his widow]