Richard Richmond Memorial Page

Rich was born in the Navy Hospital in Brooklyn, New York to Helga (a German immigrant) and Julian Bell (from Maine) and later adopted by Helga’s second husband, World War II navy veteran, Thomas P Richmond. Rich’s parents moved across the country to California where the family grew. He now had three brothers and three sisters. His childhood years were spent in Orange County. When he was 12 years old, Rich went forward at church to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and be baptized.

Rich was drafted into the Army and served in the Vietnam War as a truck driver and mechanic. The Lord brought him safely through a few scary close calls. Patriotism, hard work, and loyalty ran deep in his heart and was further cemented during this conflict. That stream strongly flowed the rest of his days. When he was discharged, he bought a ‘69 El Camino and worked in Anaheim, where he met and married his wife of 52 years, Marilyn Jane Reed.

Rich was hired on to the Riverside City Fire Department in 1971, was promoted to Engineer and retired after 31 years of service. Rich and Marilyn bought their first house in Riverside, where they had two children, Russell (“Rusty”) and Amber. In 1976, they settled in Corona and bought the house they still own to this day. This is where they had their third child, Lindsay. He also ran a successful real estate appraisal business for 17 years. He served as chairman of the deacon board and Sunday school teacher at Faith Baptist church. Rich lobbied hard to hire a youth pastor there, but ultimately led his family to Crossroads Church for the youth ministry. He served as a bus driver and helped coordinate a parents of teens class.

It was at Crossroads that he and Marilyn met Trudy Schmidt and served in the pro-life movement, which led to their volunteer career of helping Corona Life Services become a successful ministry, saving many unborn lives and blessing thousands of needy mothers in the name of Jesus.

Rich was blessed with 9 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

Rich loved the beach and he loved to travel. He was a friendly, passionate, curious, patriotic, and committed man.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn, his children Russ (and Kristen), Amber, Lindsay (and Nathan Lambert), his siblings Greg, Jon, Beth, Sue, Dawn, George, his sister-in-law Carolyn Taylor, his grandchildren Will (and Tammy), Grace (and Sean Sullivan), Josiah, Hope, Ellie, Noah, Abby, Micah and Joanna, and his great-grandchildren Eoin and Jane – and one on the way.