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Richard Boone Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for Richard Boone
Dan Johnson
July 10, 2020
Just heard about Richard...I first met Richard while working together as engineers at Hexcel in Casa Grande, AZ. It took me a while to learn to work with Richard. We were diametric opposites. He an impulsive, creative, and high energy innovator who I often thought didn't think things through completely...I a cautious, conservative, and calculating engineer in his first assignment as a manager. No doubt he thought me an anchor to progress frequently. We slowly came to understand each other and to appreciate that we were a good balance. He may have been one of the most spontaneously creative individuals I ever worked with. He could come up with more ideas in a given period of time than anyone I ever knew. Some of them outlandish, others amazing. I was best at evaluating ideas, foreseeing potential downstream pitfalls, and recognizing ideas with strong potential. You can imagine how often we were at odds and in each other's hair. A political mess at Casa Grande ended our working together for a number of years and we actually became direct competitors for a while.
Business/career changes facilitated us reconnecting later. He was designing tools for an independent shop in Bellingham and I was the engineering manager at Hexcel's Burlington facility. We had a long stretch of very successful business collaboration and friendship during those years. We had both matured enough that we were comfortable with each other's strengths and weaknesses and learned how to make that work very well. He always made me laugh and would try anything. He respected my cautious ways and we worked together on some very cool approaches to a number of tricky manufacturing dilemmas and processes. We grew to become good friends during the time we worked together in those years.
I was sorry to hear about Richard's untimely death. I miss his energy and creativity. My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.
John Brant
May 30, 2020
I was a team pilot for Bill Bennett Delta Wing Kites and Gliders, from 1976-1979 and a test pilot for all of Richard's new designs. He was a gifted designer and I very much enjoyed knowing him and traveling with him on occasion during those years. We had a memorable trip to Cypress Gardens, Florida for a tow Kite championships. He taught me to launch off the beach being towed by a ski boat. What a rush! So sorry to hear this news. He was a great designer and I am sorry he has passed.
Debbie Christie
March 20, 2020
Richard was an outstanding person.. I knew and met him back in the 9o's at an Aerospace co. in Bellingham Washington. we all worked together at the plant. One particular time I remember is whem=n we were doing a test flight on a new "wing feature". Richard gave me the camera and said, " Ok, when I say go, start filming. I asked, "what if one of the wing attachments fails?" He replies, "Keep filming" . So I did, and one at a time they came off in flight, Richard just made it all work. He landed without any fuss. Richard, I was so shocked to hear of your passing. You fly with the Angels now .. perhaps you can give them a few pointers. To Maggi, My heart goes out to you and the kids .. love to you all Debbie.
Tom Eckles
March 5, 2017
I just found out today that Dick had passed. I was the head sailmaker at Delta Wing from 1974 and worked daily with Dick from the first Phoenix gliders through the Mariah. I was with him at all the tests, evaluating and photographing the sails and still have hundreds of slides. We had great conversations from serious design discussions to just laughing about life. We would team up to squeeze higher wages out of Bill Bennett, no easy task. I left in 77 or 78 to start eckles design sailmakers to build my passion, catamaran racing sails. I am shocked and saddened to read of his passing.
Steven Pearson
July 22, 2014
I first met Richard in 1976 through hang gliding. We reconnected from time to time in the intervening years, most recently during several recent trips to Kitty Hawk. Richard was in so many ways the embodiment of passion and creativity which never diminished throughout his life. His contributions to hang gliding in the early years were among the most notable of any but he will certainly be remembered even more for the quality of the friendship and character that he shared with so many of us. We will miss you Richard.
Launching Richard Boone's wonderful design the "205 Dream" for a personal best flight of 8 hours 35 minutes.
Tommy Thompson
July 21, 2014
Launching my Dream wing for an 8 hour flight
Tommy Thompson
July 21, 2014
After all these years I still have a letter from Richard on the Delta Wing letter head where I contacted him in the '70's with some questions. My longest soaring flight is still on his remarkable design, the 205 Dream!
Walt Nielsen
July 19, 2014
I met and became freinds whith Dick back in the seventys, I will miss him
July 18, 2014
An amazing innovator. All of my graduate hang gliding students learned about this unique human being and I was a big fan of his "topless" hang gliders years before topless became the norm for high performance in our sport. Some of my fondest memories are sitting with Dick on the side of a hill, watching the wind and listening to him babble on technology and aerodynamics and pretending I understood everything he was trying to explain to me. A rare individual that I am a better person for having known.
Jean-Michel Bernasconi
July 18, 2014
Indeed, hang gliding has lost one on its most innovative designers. Some of his many inventions, such as floating cross-tubes, are still shaping HG technology today.
I've had the privilege of working with Dick at Delta Wing in the '70's, and then for many years within the HGMA. He was indeed a gentleman, whose experience, ideas and sense of vision have guided many future HG designers forward.
He will certainly be missed, and I hope his passing was peaceful.
Mark West
July 18, 2014
Richard was one of the most talented engineers I have known, and I was lucky to be able to call him my friend. We worked together in the 80's testing and developing hanggliders. I cherish those memories and morn his loss... somewere, my friend, you are soaring on the wings of your dreams.
Juan Corral
July 17, 2014
I am sorry to hear about Dick's passing, I learned allot from him while working together in many hang gliding projects.
so full of fun energy and cleverness, thank you for what you taught. I'm so sorry for the loss to those he left behind. RIP
Juan Corral
Shane Moreland
July 17, 2014
Richard was one of the key people who ignited the passion of hang gliding for me in the late 70's. Years later we would meet and fly together on the Dunes at Kitty Hawk, NC. We flew together just this past May. He and Maggie were always full of smiles sitting under his rainbow, custom-built glider while waiting for his turn to fly the next round in the KHK Spectacular competition. Thank you Richard for your inspiration!
Vicki Johnson
July 15, 2014
Richard's memorial service was very touching and meaningful. It was clear that Richard's legacy was huge. He did not waste any of his nearly 62 years.
Richard left another legacy that may not be as obvious. He was the last person you would expect to have a heart attack. We need to learn from him to be on top of our own heart health. We can't see everything that could cause a problem.
At the memorial service, Maggi requested that additional stories be left here. I remembered one that showed the onery side of Richard. For the first part of our NASA contract, we got 200 carbon fiber panels to represent the primary structure. I weighed and measured all of them. When I first started, I asked Richard if I should wear protective gloves. He said no. I got several splinters - one was really big and took a couple of months to get all the pieces out. When that was finally healed up (he heard lots of complaining during that time), Richard told me I really should have worn gloves but everyone who has dealt with composites has scars from the splinters. He laughed when he told me that. I'm sure it was fun to educate the theoretical person the hard way! I wore gloves after that. Thank you Richard for all that you taught me.
Jeff Cole
July 14, 2014
I am saddened and shocked to hear of Richards passing. I worked with him at Hexcel, and we collaborated throughout the years while we both moved around through the aerospace composites industry. I loved interacting with him. He was very knowledgeable, innovative, and he was very relational. I really learned much from him through the years.
Brandon Parks
July 12, 2014
I feel very honored and very fortunate to have worked with Richard over the last few years. He taught me a great deal about being a good engineer and a good leader. My prayers and sympathy go out to his family.
Deidra Vanderheiden
July 11, 2014
Maggi,
I am prayerful for your loss and the families loss. May our Lord God bring you His peace, hope and comfort during this time.
Amy Adelina
July 11, 2014
Richard, was the just the sweetest guy you could meet. Always so cheery and I always learned something from him eberytime I saw him. Richards way of describing the world was such a blessing to hear.
Maggie, I am so sorry for you lost. Sending my prayers.
Zach Boone
July 10, 2014
I had the privilege of being Richard's nephew. The qualities that describe him at work were ever present at home too--energetic, funny, brilliant, and caring. Richard gave the best massages. He would come up from behind and start massaging your shoulders. I'm proud to be a Boone because of the engineering spirit and creativity that Richard Boone embodied.
Ron & Marcia Weddle
July 9, 2014
Maggie, I was shocked to hear of Richard's death! It was a privilege to know him and work with him at Cessna. I will truly miss his energy and smile! Our hearts and prayers go out to you and the family as you deal with this tragic loss.
Todd Record
July 9, 2014
Rarely will anyone ever meet a kinder person. Always positive and friendly. Smart and creative. And humble. I was so sad to hear about his passing. I will miss him very much. (Cessan engineer)
Cathy Smith
July 8, 2014
Maggi--so sorry for your loss. I didn't know your husband, but it sounds like he was a wonderful husband and friend. My prayers are with you.
Shannon Jones
July 8, 2014
I worked with Richard on a variety of research and development programs at Cessna and can honestly say I have never met another person with as much energy, enthusiasm, or passion for what they are working on. I learned a great many things from working with Richard and his unending stream of innovative and outside the box ideas, but now that I find myself unexpectedly looking back at the times and projects we worked together, I am most intrigued by his continual drive to not only do things better, cheaper or faster, but to attempt to find ways to do things that most others would have immediately dismissed as not possible or feasible. I can't think of a single challenge that was placed before him that he did not consider and come up with at least a couple of things that could be tried to overcome whatever the issue was related to it. While they did not always work, he certainly was not afraid to try, and that is a characteristic that seems to be in such short supply nowadays. Richard, you will be missed by those of us that remain stuck on this earth. Thank you so much for the contributions you made while you were with us, and I personally look forward to flying the heavens with you someday.
Roger Darrow
July 8, 2014
It was an honor to have worked with Richard, he will be missed.
Vicki Johnson
July 8, 2014
Richard and I worked together closely on the NASA Protective Skins for Composite Airliners contract at Cessna. Richard was co-inventor of the concept. In my role as Principal Investigator for the contract, I could not wish for a better or more effective co-investigator. Even though he had another full-time job, Richard was never too busy to lend his expertise and his go-to, get-it-done guys Norm and Isaac. There was always the expensive, time-consuming solution to our problems along the way and then there was the Richard way – accomplish the intent, get good data, and don't wreck the schedule or the budget; he was so creative and clever. We traveled to NASA three times for the contract. Richard was a great traveler – he could be entertaining when things were slow and seriously believable when talking technical. I was not a composites person when I met Richard; thanks to his patience and tutoring, I can say I am at least a novice now.
Richard reminded me of the Energizer Bunny; he always had lots of things going and seemed to have endless energy. Richard exemplified the advice of one of my former bosses – as long as you're being legal and ethical, be playful because who wants to work with a grumpy butt? Richard was playful. Richard had one priority above all his professional activities – Maggi. When she called, Richard would interrupt what he was doing to make sure she was ok and to coordinate when they would connect.
Maggi and family, I am very sorry for your loss. I know that Richard's absence is leaving a huge hole in your hearts. I will very much miss Richard popping by my office when he was in the building for a meeting; his smile and enthusiasm always brightened my day. My heart is heavy. The aviation community is diminished because Richard's creative genius has been silenced.
Dan Johnson
July 7, 2014
I am sad to see a good fellow like Dick pass. He and I go back to hang gliding days where we enjoyed one another's company. I also followed his work later in life. Dick was always a bundle of energy with clever ideas ever at the ready. He will be missed!
David Nelson
July 7, 2014
Richard was a great colleague and terrific guy. His energy and excitement about aviation was contagious and he will be greatly missed. "When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." Leonardo Da Vinci
July 7, 2014
Richard provided so much energy and atmosphere with his passion for flying and his excitment for the future. He will be missed.
Terry Shriner
Ann Wommack
July 6, 2014
I had the honor of working with Richard over the years and his talent was incredible. He was such a smart man and willing to help others learn. Maggi, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Hugs to you. May you find comfort in your friends, family and memories.
Jena
July 6, 2014
I worked with Richard the last few years and learned so much from him! He will be missed dearly! Our prayers are with him and your family.
Linda Coberly
July 6, 2014
Ken & I are so sad to hear this news. We so appreciated him coming out to Kens Mom recent funeral and lunch. Our thoughts and prayers are with all The Boone family. Ken & Linda Coberly
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