Richard Mannheimer

1931 - 2023

Richard Mannheimer
November 2, 1931 - October 30, 2023
Richard Joel Mannheimer, chemical engineer, fisherman, coach, math tutor, UT and Georgia Tech football fan, animal lover, and all-around fix-it guy, died on October 30, 2023, only 3 days before his 92 birthday. He was born November 2,1931 in New York City. Times were tough for their family during his childhood, but Richard excelled in school and turned his mathematical gifts into an admission at Georgia Institute of Technology (Ramblin' Wreck!) earning both his undergraduate and master's in chemical engineering. His first job was with Mobile Oil, bringing him to Dallas, Texas, where he met the love of his life, Patricia Ponder. They married in 1955 and had three children, Gretchen, Eric, and Karen. Richard later accepted a position of research scientist at Southwest Research Institute, moved the family to San Antonio, and worked there for 33 years. While holding a full-time job, Richard earned his PhD at the University of Texas in chemical engineering in 1969. His primary research at the Institute was to develop an aviation fuel that would resist exploding and bursting into flame on impact for helicopters and planes. This research would take him and Patricia on trips to England and Norway where he developed lifelong friendships with his collaborative researchers. Richard's love of the outdoors was shared with his children and grandchildren on many fishing trips, some highlighted by the excitement of boat buoyancy or boat motor challenges, notably a couple of trips that required a swim to shore, fishing poles in hand. Boat and car motors proved to be worthy adversaries for Richard throughout his life, though he never gave up believing he could make them do his bidding.
Our dad devoted himself to our family; he really did so little for just himself. He coached his son's YMCA football team for several years, taught us all to play a mean game of chess, built a magnificent Barbie house one Christmas that became a cozy doghouse once the Barbies fell out of favor, taught all three of us archery and made quivers out of our local raccoon skins which we thought were fabulous (not having seen the process). He took anyone who wanted to go on fishing and camping trips to the Texas gulf coast, and to any number of lakes around south Texas. He tutored many a young person who struggled with math at the NEISD ACE Academy for at risk students after retiring, plus neighbors and friends, exhibiting stunning patience with some of us for whom math didn't come quite so easily.
In his later years, it was the grandchildren he focused on, and he attended many Churchill swim meets and football games. He was so proud of us all.
His children all agree that our dad loved a good argument. It was a sport for him to challenge family and friends to heated debates on topics that were strongly held beliefs, but all in all, he loved us and believed to the end that he knew what was best for us.
A favorite among his many sayings was "hierba mala nunca muere" which translated, means a bad weed never dies. Well dad, it turns out you weren't the bad weed you thought you were, and we have finally had to say goodbye to your earthly body after all. We know, though, you are at peace now in Heaven, in a perfect boat on a perfect lake, catching all the fish you like.
Richard is survived by his sister Carole Fenberg (Jay), his children Gretchen Shary (Mike), Eric Mannheimer (Kiz), and Karen Mannheimer (Brenda), and grandchildren Michael Shary (Karen), Lauren Miles (Colin), and Montana Mannheimer (Caitlin), and great grandchildren Evangeline, Asher, Elias, Thomas, Arabella, Eliza, Liam, and a baby girl due in April. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Patricia Mannheimer. He is also survived by his 18-year-old cat Nacho.