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1945
2019
Richard Karl 'Barney' Spielman
Dec. 22, 1945 - July 31, 2019
Barney (AKA "Dick", AKA "Santa") died of cancer at home in Hood River with his family by his side Wednesday, July 31, 2019.
Called "Dick" in his early years, he joined the Army after graduation from Roseburg High School in 1964 to become a helicopter mechanic, serving in Germany. After coming home, he worked for several airlines, taught Airframe and Power Plant Mechanics at Portland Community College, and in 1974 joined the crew of the L.A.-based Goodyear airship Columbia as senior airship mechanic. Because there were two other "Dicks" on the crew, he became "Barney." During his years with "the fat lady" Goodyear sent him to Italy to oversee the erection of the Goodyear blimp Europa and to rebuild their Texas-based airship "America." When the Columbia visited Portland for Rose Festival in 1982, he met his future wife and stepdaughter. The couple married exactly a year later in June of 1983. In 1984, the family moved to Portland, where he worked for Horizon Air until he retired after 34 years in July 2018. The couple then moved to Hood River so that he could do volunteer restoring of antique aircraft.
His special calling, though, was being Santa Claus. After "playing" Santa for a niece's party in 1996, he "became" Santa – he had found his calling. Naturally a kind, generous man with a hearty laugh and infectious, jolly demeanor, his soul was the soul of Santa. He grew a "real" beard, and his laugh truly became the "ho-ho-ho" that everyone recognizes. Barney carried candy canes with him all year long, since everyone recognized Santa, in or out of his red pickup with its SLEIGH license plates. The cameras came out as people saw him and asked to take a selfie, or "elfie" as he called it. He was Horizon Air's Santa for many years and appeared only at private parties, charities and non-profits. He asked for no pay, but if people wanted to donate, Santa would take stuffed animals, toys, food or other gifts to be distributed in the community. His deepest joy was putting smiles on peoples' faces and performing countless anonymous acts of kindness. He was truly one of a kind and he, his laugh and his candy canes will be greatly missed.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry Karl and Cecil Edna Spielman; and is survived by his beloved wife, Denise; stepdaughter, Alaina Smith (Frank Rytkonen); brother, Robert H. (Carolyn) Spielman; sister, Sharon (Doug) Brackenbrough; sister, Trudi Schaffer; and numerous nieces and nephews; and great- and great-great nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1624 N.E. Hancock, Portland, OR.
In lieu of flowers, (due to certain allergies), the family would very much appreciate your consideration of a donation to the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum (Hood River), to Heart of Hospice Foundation-OR (Hood River) or to the Domestic Violence Resource Center Oregon (Portland) with "Mary Mac House" designated in the memo line. Donations may be mailed c/o Anderson's Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031.
Please sign the online guest book at www.oregonlive.com/obits
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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4 Entries
My sincere condolences to the family. Dick and family were some of our best friends as kids. His dad(Hap)and my dad (AL Armstrong)worked together at Umpqua Dairy for years. He was one of the best friends you could ever ask for. He will truly be missed by all of his friends old and new. Nancy (Armstrong) Hesseltine.
Nancy Hesseltine
Friend
January 1, 2024
Barney was truly one of a kind person. He will be sorely missed by relatives and friends, especially by those for whom he was Santa during the holiday season.
Inga and Arthur Albin
September 26, 2019
Denise Spielman
September 18, 2019
Denise Spielman
September 18, 2019
Showing 1 - 4 of 4 results
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Anderson's Tribute Center - Hood River1401 Belmont Ave, Hood River, OR 97031
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