Richard "Rick" Stokes

The beloved Richard Stokes of Torrance passed away quietly at his home on May 31, 2019 at the age of 62 after a short, yet intense, battle with cancer. He was born in Oklahoma but spent the largest part of his adolescence and young adult years in the greater Houston area. He relocated to Hermosa Beach in 1987 then resided in Lomita for awhile before eventually settling in Torrance. He was the owner and operator of Torrance Auto Repair until the business sold and he retired in 2014. He was an avid roller skater and could often be found joyfully skating on the Hermosa Strand. He had an extraordinary "green thumb" and found peace and serenity in his prolific backyard vegetable garden among the blue jays he tamed and knew by name. He was a member of the South Bay Harley Davidson Chapter for many years between 1990 and 2000's. His passions included barbecuing, poker games with friends, quiet times with neighbors, traveling with friends and family and precious times with his daughter and granddaughters. Rick was a kind, generous, altruistic soul. He was a regular blood donor from age 18 until the end of his life. He was recognized many times at the Torrance Memorial Hospital Donors Ball as a multi-gallon donor. In a final act of altruism he donated his body to UCSD Medical School to benefit science and research. He was a singularly honest and good man who is dearly missed by his fianc‚e, family, friends, neighbors and colleagues. He will be remembered for his kind and generous heart which was always reaching out to help others.