Richard Karel Obyn

Richard Karel Obyn 1919 ~ 2007 Richard K. Obyn, 87, died January 4, 2007, in Salt Lake City. Born in Ghent, Belgium, on August 28, 1919, he was the youngest of three children of Achilles-Victor Obyn and Elvire Marie De Clercq. From early childhood and throughout his life, Richard was inventive, imaginative, skilled at many languages, and took great pleasure in using his keen mind to explore new ideas and all life has to offer. Richard served his country in the Belgian Army's Second Engineers Corps during the four-year German occupation of Western Europe during World War II. Not wanting to be separated, he and his sweetheart, Maria Augustina Vercammen, married on April 12, 1941. The young couple bravely overcame fears of deportation, military oppression, and starvation through their perseverance, love for each other, and a belief in the future. Upon the arrival of the Allied Armies in June 1944, Richard volunteered as a guide and interpreter with a British supply company along the road to victory. Richard and Maria immigrated to the U.S. in June 1947 and settled in San Francisco, CA, where Richard furthered his education and worked for more than 18 years with Metal & Thermit Corp. After joining the management of Proler Steel Corp. (later Proler Int'l. Corp.), he and Maria moved to Utah in 1966 where Richard supervised the development of a new plant in Copperton. They have continued to make Utah their home ever since. Richard and Maria always appreciated living in America and valued their American citizenship. After retirement, the couple traveled throughout their adopted country and enjoyed many cruises on the open seas they both loved. Richard and Maria have been members of the University of Utah Health Sciences Council and the John R. Park Society. As Benefactors of the U's Health Sciences Center, their generosity will assist many students for generations to come. Richard is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years and, by his own declaration, his "reason for living and greatest asset," Maria. We wish to thank the caregivers and nurses at Silverado, especially Joyce. Our thanks also to the University of Utah family including Dr. Gerald Rothstein, Danny Kramer, Tresha Kramer, Dane Tidwell, Jean Mueller and Art Swindle for their many years of care and love. Gifts in Richard's memory can be directed to the Richard K. and Maria A. Obyn Memorial Scholarship Fund, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, 540 Arapeen Drive, Suite 250, SLC UT 84108. A gathering to celebrate his life will be held on Monday, Jan. 8, at Noon at Larkin Sunset Lawn, 2350 East 1300 South. Friends may call one half-hour prior to the service. Online condolences www.larkinmortuary.com