ForeverMissed
Large image

He enjoyed every day...

Dick was a kind, caring, wonderful man who improved the lives of everyone he encountered.

He made friends all over the world with his quick wit and his true interest in all people. He visited over 40 countries, and once claimed he could order beer in 11 languages. He learned from others and made everybody happy to be around him. Each day was an adventure for him, and he shared his love of the world with his children and grandchildren. They will continue his exploration and share the jokes and fun and zest for life that he inspired.

Dick met his Alzheimer's diagnosis with bravery and hope and continued to bring happiness to others.

       "Alzheimer's is the only cause of death among the top 10 in America without a way to prevent it, cure it or even slow its progressions,"
            -- Georgia Alzheimer Ass'n President.
 

Please share your memories of the joy (and fun) he brought, adding stories, thoughts and pictures.    

January 27, 2017
January 27, 2017
Rick,so sorry to hear about your dad my parents called me today and said they seen it in the paper.I was sad to hear the news.They called the Gentrys and told them.Tell your mom, Tracy, and Christy that I was thinking about you guys. From the Moore's the old neighborhood in Indian Hills. Rick give me a call we'll catch up Scott moore 678-361-7107 we're living near Athens Ga on a farm.
January 25, 2017
January 25, 2017
It really warms the heart to read the comments from Dick’s family and wide circle of friends. The consistent themes are “great wit”, “strong family man”, “role model”, “great guy”, “gentleman”, “passion for fun”, “made the world a better place”…the list goes on. Ginny and I could not have said it better. We loved knowing him and will greatly miss him.
January 23, 2017
January 23, 2017
"He was one of the sales 'legends' that I was so in awe of when I first moved to Atlanta. When I knew him at IBM, he was always looked upon with the utmost respect for his abilities and high standards. He kept some very demanding customers happy for years..not an easy accomplishment!" submitted by JoAnne Taylor
January 23, 2017
January 23, 2017
I can remember playing ping pong in the Alexander's basement with Tom, Dick and Dick's father.....Lots of great memories.

The Alexander family would take me up to Vineyard Lake when they would go on a summer vacation. They were the sisters and brother I never had. And heading over to the Alexander's late Christmas morning is always another wonderful memory.

Dick and I had a lot of fun together and most of it was good clean fun. If any of the kids or grand kids want to know more, The court records will be unsealed in 5 years. Submitted by Jim Lange
January 21, 2017
January 21, 2017
Dear Carole,
I am so sorry to hear of Dick's passing. I know, from personal experience, how devastating Alzheimers can be to a family. May you continue to experience his love, joy, laughter, pride, humor and many more of his special attributes reflected in the beautiful lives of your children & grandchildren.
You are now & always in my prayers,
Sue (Crawford) Gross
January 18, 2017
January 18, 2017
I am so very sorry to hear Mr. Alexander has passed. I remember him being a gracious, polite, and cheerful man. I enjoyed looking at all these beautiful pictures--what a happy and blessed life he had! I hope you all find comfort soon.
XO 
Susan (James) Stahl
January 18, 2017
January 18, 2017
My memories of Dick and Carole go all the way back to when their kids were young and I was their babysitter! It all started in Okemos, MI, and continued on in Marietta, GA and also the north Georgia mountains. For me, Dick has always been an exemplary man, and someone I have looked up to for years. A great husband to Carole, whom he obviously adored and cherished for all of these years, a great father to three kids who have turned in to remarkable adults, and an amazing friend to so many, especially my parents. His classic quick wit kept everyone on their toes and laughing, and he was always a joy to be around. 
Our hearts go out to the Alexander family. 
Love, Cynthia and Steve
January 18, 2017
January 18, 2017
Uncle Dick brought magic to our family gatherings. Not only with his wit and charm, but literally with card tricks, slight of hand, and his ability to amuse. Always quick with a joke and a passion for fun, he helped mold a memorable childhood for our families. For that and more, I am grateful and will remember him fondly.
January 16, 2017
January 16, 2017
Dick was a fine man, a good IBM salesman and will be missed by all of us in the IBM Atlanta Midtown office. My son and I went camping with Dick and his son in the N. Georgia mountains. I always admired his Benz convertible and he had the friendly, carefree spirit to go with such a sporty car!   Jim Davis Brookhaven, GA
January 16, 2017
January 16, 2017
Meryl and I want all of Dick's family and friends to know that it was a privilege to have Dick on the KMA team. A true gentleman and a true professional.
January 16, 2017
January 16, 2017
Dear Carol, it has been far too long since we have all been together at our beloved Indian Hills CC. However, time does not in and of itself erase the good times or fond memories we have all accumulated! Dick's kindness, big heart, genuinely electrifying smile and kind soft hello shall always be with us all especially his family and the children.
My memories are of the Friday nights when we all would gather in the tiny club house for dinner after playing tennis or golf. Don't you know he is up there in Heaven right now with Walt Kutch, aka the "Kooch", getting the lay of the land, being introduced around and having a tee time set up by Walt, with some of Walt and Dick's friends. He's okay!!! Now all he wants is for his greatest love, you, to be okay!!! Carol, while Dick is physically no longer here his love for you and the children will live on today, tomorrow, forever and always!!!!

Rest in peace, Dick, hit 'em straight and thank you being such a great role model & friend to everyone! Respectfully, David Jacobs
January 16, 2017
January 16, 2017
Dick was one of the good guys. My condolences to his family.
January 16, 2017
January 16, 2017
What a wonderful man! Everyone will truly miss his great SMILE, quick WIT, and ZEST for life! He was a great husband, father, grandfather, and FRIEND! He will definitely be missed by everyone who was fortunate enough to know him!
January 16, 2017
January 16, 2017
Dick will be deeply missed by so many. He was a great man and role model. I have great memories of visiting the two of you when you lived in Taylor. I remember Dick practicing on his guitar. You were a great couple and had a great marriage.
I will be in prayer for all of you.
Love,
Pat
January 15, 2017
January 15, 2017
We had the privilege of meeting and becoming friends with Dick and Carole back many years ago at Indian Hills CC. What a great couple! Dick was full of life,had a great sense of humor and a smile that lit up a room where ever he went. Dick was a gentleman and a wonderful man..he loved life and his family. You made the world a better place. You will be missed..Thank you friend. Evonne and Eddie Fell
January 15, 2017
January 15, 2017
We will always remember his smile and great sense of humor. We met Dick when we lived in Indian Hills back in the 80's. Our prayers are with Carole and family and just know that he was a remarkable man. Judy and Ritch Morris
January 15, 2017
January 15, 2017
Carol, I was sorry to learn of Dick's passing...he was a wonderful force of our DHS class...it sounds as if he lived life to the fullest...and left the world a better place...thinking of you...sally seth@yahoo.com
January 15, 2017
January 15, 2017
Oh,Dick, how we will miss you.
We shared a lot of history together-Indian Hills, Big Canoe and Hilton Head.Good golf, big grins and outstanding wit. You even planned prats!
A favorite picture on a change of address card showed you and Carol
posed in front of an out-house holding cleaning tools, brushes and a
BUCKET
Well...Dick.You kicked IT.
Thanks for the memories.
Love, Tom and Ginny
January 15, 2017
January 15, 2017
Even though I have not seen Dick since my DHS days I know what a role model he was for those of us who were younger (Class of 1960). His father Bill was a good friend of my father(Wilson Benfer) as was Kenny Goodwin. I know he will be missed by all and remembered for who he was as a person.
January 15, 2017
January 15, 2017
Dick was a classmate of my sister (Judy Benfer Price) but I remember him and his family well. His Dad,( Bill Alexander), and Carol's father (Kenny Goodwin) were good friends of my Dad. Even though I have not seen him since my DHS days I know what a role model he was already for everyone. I am sure he fought bravely and will be remembered by all
January 15, 2017
January 15, 2017
Knew Dick at IBM and played golf with him at IHCC and st Big Canoe. Great guy - will be missed.
January 14, 2017
January 14, 2017
Have so many great memories with Dick, mainly on the tennis court. we were on the same tennis team for many years, way back, at Indian Hills. I stayed one time at his condo down at Hilton Head and attended the Dennis Van Der Meer tennis clinic. He was left handed and we would give him a hard time about "that advantage." A truly great guy !!

Leave a Tribute

Light a Candle
Lay a Flower
Leave a Note
 
Recent Tributes
January 27, 2017
January 27, 2017
Rick,so sorry to hear about your dad my parents called me today and said they seen it in the paper.I was sad to hear the news.They called the Gentrys and told them.Tell your mom, Tracy, and Christy that I was thinking about you guys. From the Moore's the old neighborhood in Indian Hills. Rick give me a call we'll catch up Scott moore 678-361-7107 we're living near Athens Ga on a farm.
January 25, 2017
January 25, 2017
It really warms the heart to read the comments from Dick’s family and wide circle of friends. The consistent themes are “great wit”, “strong family man”, “role model”, “great guy”, “gentleman”, “passion for fun”, “made the world a better place”…the list goes on. Ginny and I could not have said it better. We loved knowing him and will greatly miss him.
January 23, 2017
January 23, 2017
"He was one of the sales 'legends' that I was so in awe of when I first moved to Atlanta. When I knew him at IBM, he was always looked upon with the utmost respect for his abilities and high standards. He kept some very demanding customers happy for years..not an easy accomplishment!" submitted by JoAnne Taylor
Recent stories
January 18, 2017

Uncle Dick was a great man, husband, father and a fantastic Uncle as he will be greatly missed.  I really enjoyed our family times together and loved talking with Uncle Dick about golf and cars.  If it was not for him and Grampy I would never have taken up the game of golf.

 I really enjoyed our family get together from Okemos to Atlanta.  Uncle Dick was always happy and always had a great big smile on his face and was pretty funny as well.  I was always amazed at all of the things he could do from magic tricks to playing multiple musical instruments and to his handyman skills.

Uncle Dick will be greatly missed by all and especially all of us in the family.  Rest in peace Uncle Dick…Love ya   Steve

Travels

January 16, 2017

Traveling with Dad was an adventure, but you never knew when that adventure might take place. Once, on a family trip out West (via station wagon from Michigan), he spent a very long time paying at the gas station. (That wasn't too unusual; he loved learning about people and would collect stories at every stop.) When he came out, he had found a ghost town for us to visit. We drove up into dusty hills and found a few buildings, including the house where a scene from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid had been shot. 

Sometimes the adventure was waiting for him to finish taking his photos. Way before digital, he would take zillions of pictures of everything. His photo case with all the lenses weighed a ton, and his suitcase was filled with rolls of film. He'd stop walking for just the right shot(s). The rest of the family finally would give up and just keep walking. A few minutes later, he'd trot up. His slide shows were always worth it. 

His photos were creative and his viewpoint, too. We would hike a lot as a family, and he always found faces in trees, or atypical rock formations. He'd wonder how things got to be that way. He said that as a boy he learned that Indians walked with their feet perfectly straight in front of them because, if you walked for long distances, it was more efficient. I remember him exasperated seeing a tree grow out from a rock canyon wall when he couldn't even get them to grow when watered and fertilized at home. 

He could find interest in the mundane. On long road trips, when he switched lanes, he'd try to do it without hitting any of the reflectors embedded in the road. He'd decypher patterns in the traffic. For example, he might count drivers with facial hair to see if more than half had it, or whether more cars were blue than green. The world was always interesting to him, and he made it more interesting for me.  

January 14, 2017

I am very sad to hear the news of Dick's passing. He was a regular golf buddy of mine at Indian Hills for several years. What a true gentleman and wonderful friend. I really missed him when he moved away and was distressed to learn that he had Alzheimer's when I called him in 2015 to let him know that a mutual friend of ours had died. Dick was always smiling and upbeat. It was a treat to have known him. May he rest in eternal peace.

Don Thomas

Invite others to Richard William's website:

Invite by email

Post to your timeline