Obituary of Fred Leon Richard

Fred Richard, beloved husband and father, passed away April 22, 2019 in Olympia, Washington.  Fred, 81, was born to Joseph Leon Arthur Richard and Alice Christine (Eggleston) Richard in Huntington Park, California.

Fred graduated from El Monte High School as part of the class of 1955.  He attended Brigham Young University and Cal State University-Pomona, from which he earned a BS in Math.  Fred loved education and also pursued course work at Cal State-LA, University of Washington, and City University of Seattle, earning a BA degree in Accounting, a Law Degree, and partially completing an MBA.  

Fred loved his country and was proud to be a veteran, having served in the U.S. Navy as an Electronics Technician on the USS Northampton (CLC-1), and later in the Naval Reserves.

Fred married Ruth in 1961 in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Los Angeles Temple in Santa Monica, California.

Fred started his professional career at Lockheed Corporation as a math engineer. He then joined Control Data Corporation and worked for over 30 years in various positions, including as an Application and Systems Programmer, Statistician and Game Design Manager, and he served in management as a Regional Manager and a Vice President. After a successful corporate career, Fred devoted himself to educating the next generation of computer professionals as a Professor of Computer Information Systems at South Puget Sound Community College.

Genealogy was a passion of Fred’s, and he found great joy in discovering relatives and learning their stories. Computers were more than a career for Fred, and he enjoyed the challenge of programming and innovating new applications. Always the Navy man, Fred loved boating, sailing and cruises. He was an avid reader and enjoyed keeping up with current events and politics, reading about history, and he strengthened his faith through daily study of Church publications and the Scriptures.  As an active and devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he found spiritual fulfillment from his calling as a temple worker.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Ruth; by his children, Michael, Jeremy, and Janine; by six grandchildren; and by his sister, Claudia. He was predeceased by his son, Daniel.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 11, 2019, 10:00 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1602 Ruddell Road SE, Lacey, WA 98503.