Richard Arthur "Dick" Traynor Sr.

Richard A. Traynor Sr. Richard Arthur "Dick" Traynor Sr., 77, who retired as the executive director of the Florida Associated General Contractors Council, died Saturday, June 17, 2006. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Claire Essig Traynor. The service will be at 11 a.m. EDT Tuesday at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, with a private burial at MeadowWood Memorial Park. Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. EDT today at Bevis Funeral Home of Tallahassee (850-385- 2193), with the Rosary said at 7:30 p.m. EDT. Memorial contributions may be made to the Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 4665 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee, FL 32309, or Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 624 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308. He was a native of Watertown, N.Y., and a longtime resident of Tallahassee. He was a 1959 graduate of the University of Southern California and a former newspaper reporter for the Watertown Daily Times, St. Petersburg Times, Arcadia (California) Tribune and the Tallahassee Democrat, where he reported on the Florida Legislature, as well as the County and Federal Courthouse. He was also an Army veteran of the Korean War. Mr. Traynor was formerly the executive director of the Tallahassee Builders Association, a member and field representative for the National Association of Home Builders, an account executive for Executive Management Services, Inc., an information specialist for the Florida Department of Agriculture and the Florida Division of Blind Services and was formerly the information director for the Florida Senate. In 1966 he was named Public Personnel Worker of the Year by the Governor's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped. His memberships included the local, state and national chapters of the American Society of Association Executives; the Florida Public Relations Association, where he formerly served as president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer of the Tallahassee Chapter; the USC Alumni Association; and Lambda Chi Alpha and Sigma Delta Chi fraternities. He was also formerly a member of the Leon County Blood Bank Board of Directors and the Tallahassee Elks Lodge, where he was a past secretary. He was a longtime member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and was a current member of Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Other survivors include a son, Randy Traynor (and Renee) of Tallahassee, and two grandchildren, Austin Traynor and Brittney Wydel, both of Tallahassee. He was preceded in death in 1998 by a son, Rick Traynor.