Richard H. Essex

Essex, Richard H.
Jun. 9, 1921 - May 19, 2015
Richard Essex passed away on the 19th of May, 2015 at age 93. Richard was born Putti Henry Eichelbaum in Berlin Germany on June 9, 1921, the son of Curt and Charlotte Eichelbaum. Richard and his family fled Germany in 1934 because of the increasing persecution of Jewish-German citizens. The family settled in Italy but were forced to immigrate to the United States via Cuba in 1940. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1942. He served as an infantry squad leader during the battle of France in 1944, then as an intelligence specialist until the end of World War Two. During his military service he was awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge and the Bronze Star. After the war he served as an intelligence analyst with the U.S. State Department, after which he devoted his efforts to international real estate development until his retirement in 1990 when he took residence on Bird Key. He is survived by his wife, Uschi. They were married in Munich, Germany in 1972. Besides his wife, Richard is survived by his son and several grandchildren. It is requested that any memorial be sent to the Tidewell Hospice.