Richard "Rick" Barri

Richard “Rick” Barri

Richard “Rick” Barri died at home in Santa Rosa Saturday, January 24, 2004, at the age of 60 after a 10-month battle with Multiple Myeloma. His wife of 32 years, Susan, was at his side along with his son, Quinn, and daughter, Shaelawn his brother in law, Jack Timmel and his friends Gary Rankin and Jack Belcher.

He is survived by his daughter, Shaelawn Matsen; granddaughter, Cassandra Matsen; son, Quinn Barri; sister, Yvette Green and Gary; aunt, Alda Hansen and Frank; uncle, Albert Albertini and Donna, uncle Armando Barri and Cathy; and many nieces and nephews.

Rick was born in Eureka on May 22, 1943, to Aida and Henry Barri and was raised on a beautiful ranch on the Northern California Coast outside of Ferndale.

He married his wife, Susan, in June of 1971 and they moved to Santa Rosa in March of 1972. He worked at what was then Veale Volkswagen, BMW, Porsche, Audi. In 1985 he and Susan started Auto Sport West, Inc. where he sold late model European Imported automobiles. He always had a love for machinery and this was a way to turn his interest into a career.

His friends probably will remember him for his gift of conversation, joke telling and love of life. His friends and family were always the most important to him and he wanted to include everyone in his adventures. He wanted to try everything at least once and the more scary and faster moving it was the more he liked it.

He was a private pilot for many years. He snow skied, water skied, rode dirt bikes with his son and friends and spent many vacations with his wife and friends and family in the Oregon Dunes riding ATV’s. He played tennis and golf but his most favorite activity was riding his Harley Davidson. He was a long time member of the Redwood Empire Chapter of Harley Davidson.

He loved telling stories about his years growing up in an Italian family on a dairy ranch. He could turn the most mundane experience into a great story and would tell his stories to anyone who would listen. His many friends and his family will miss him so much, but his stories and love of life will stay with us forever.

A memorial service will be held at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa, CA at 2pm Saturday, January 31, 2004. Please send donations to the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) 12650 Riverside Dr, Ste #206. No. Hollywood, CA, 91607.

Arrangements are under the direction of Eggen and Lance Mortuary.

Please sign the guestbook at www.times-standard.com, click on obituaries.