A. Richard Engel

Engel, A. Richard, Richard, or "Dick", as he was known to his friends and family, was born in Detroit, Michigan, December 10, 1915. He passed away April 17, 2002. In his childhood and teen years he studied piano, enjoyed collecting stamps, swimming, tennis, archery and fencing. He graduated from Principia College where he was trainer for his fencing team and captain of his tennis team. After college he traveled abroad. He spent some time in Japan studying the language. During World War Two he enlisted and because of his knowledge of Japanese was sent to Sacramento and worked in the intelligence department deciphering Japanese code for the United States Army. After the war he came to California and joined the Pasadena Community Playhouse. He had studied acting at Principia, performing in Shakespearean plays such as A Midsummer Night's Dream and MacBeth. He performed at the Pasadena Playhouse for a year or two. He was a natural actor, and would always in later life still recite many passages from MacBeth and other Shakespearean plays. Dick loved music and was an accomplished classical amateur pianist, Chopin and Rachmaninoff among his favorites. He enjoyed playing for family and friends, also benefit functions. He was a well known philatelist. He always said he learned so much about history and geography through collecting and studying stamps. He was an avid reader and always a student. In the 40's he was instrumental in starting a successful cosmetic company called Gail-Richard Cosmetics, which he ran for forty years. Retiring from the business at age 75. He then pursued his music and stamps. He was a good swimmer, having taught swimming in his youth at summer camps. He is survived by his loving wife Francee. They had 30 wonderful years together. He is also survived by his son Eric Engel, his nephews David and Douglas Rawson, his niece Wendy Befler, and his grand-nephews Roger and Dennis Befler, his grand-niece Laura Befler and a great-grand-niece Paige Befler. A private funeral service will be held at Pierce Brothers Chapel for family and close friends, followed by a memorial reception at a later date. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Ronald McDonald House.