Richard Sproul

SPROUL Richard, 6/4/33-9/26/10, of Waldport, Oregon, died September 26, 2010 from complications following a brain tumor operation. Richard was born June 4th, 1933 to Catherine (Foye) and Herbert Sproul in Manhattan, New York City. He spent a happy childhood with siblings, Virginia, Barbara and Robert in the tree-lined streets of Ridgewood, New Jersey. As a kid, wearing a fedora no less, he liked visiting Grandma at her high-rise in Washington Heights. Summers were spent on the beaches of Cape Cod. Richard excelled at math and played for the tennis team at Ridgewood High School. He worked delivering the bulky Sunday New York Times, besides slicing lemons for soirees at the country club. Richard graduated from New York State Maritime College, having played all four years on the school's tennis team, as a marine engineer, afterwards sailing the seas as an engineering officer employed by private and government entities. He also served proudly on the Pacific Ocean as a Lieutenant (j.g.) in the United States Navy. Richard's favorite pastimes were carpentry where he remodeled and built several homes and great fences. He won prizes for dahlia growing and photography and loved music, Oregon's forests and the beauty of New Zealand. One of life's highlights was his organizing a camping trip from Cape Cod to Carmel Valley with his wife, four sons, map, station wagon, tent and a Siamese cat. On days off from the sea Richard volunteered gladly: helping build the original Samaritan House in Newport and for 15 years worked beside his wife Lynette and friend Ed in the gardens of a Newport church. As the years waned, Richard relished his beach walks, the Red Sox, Oregon Ducks and Oregon State Beavers, reading about Mt. Everest, political news on CNN and football. Cherished greatly were the hours spent supporting the Newport Cubs at his grandson's sporting events, especially the baseball games, just as he had, seagoing schedule permitting, his sons' games at NHS years before. A quiet man with a terrific smile, Richard is survived by Lynnette, his loving wife of 52 years, and sons Rich (Patty), Matt, Dan (Suzie), Tim (Angie), dear grandchildren, Whitney and Wade, and his East coast clan. Richard was a lifelong member of the Catholic church.