After graduation from Benson, Dick went to Northwestern for a year and then tranferred to Omaha University (UNO) where he graduated with honors. Three days after graduation we married and by fall we had moved to Tucson where he attended the University of Arizona on a fellowship. In 1968 we were both hired to teach in Jefferson County, Colorado. Dick taught English at Bear Creek High School until we moved to Germany where he taught English and math in Schweinfurt at a DOD middle school. A move back to Colorado took us to the western slope where Dick continued in education as a high school administrator. By the time we moved back to the Denver area, we had three kids and Dick had a new career as a stock broker/financial planner. For the last twenty years of his life Dick helped clients manage their money. It was with pride that he helped them save for important events in their lives. Dick died on July 7, 1998, after battling a brain tumor for 14 months. We miss him every day.
Dick and I were in Boy Scouts together forever. I think they had to kick me out of scouting when I joined the Navy. Dick's father and older brother were our scout leaders for many years. The whole Longsdorf family helped mold many of us into what we are today. I don't recall what year it was, but Dick and I and many others decided to walk to Lincoln in conjunction with some heath kick. As I recall we made it to Waverly Nebraska about midnight, laid down to rest, fell asleep, and when we awoke were so sore and stiff we could hardly move. I'm very sorry to hear Dick passed away, he was a good scout, a good man, and a good friend.
"Dick Longsdorf was a friend of mine" I began my eulogy of him. The audience laughed because so many other speakers had said the same thing. Dick had a lot of friends and there was a reason.
He was a great and loyal friend himself. He was intensely interested in the people around him. He greatly valued his friends, too, including many of you.
In my case, he was willing to be my good friend even though I was a new kid and he was deeply embedded in the BHS social structure. That senior year, he would come to my house and pour out his innermost thoughts and feelings about friends of both sexes. I wouldn't say much (not anything, really) but when he was done he would thank me profusely for all the help.
We kept in close touch during his days as an educator and financial planner. In fact, I was a client. I hope this isn't TMI but we both came from troubled backgrounds of the kind that is often passed down through generations. He was determined that the problems would stop with him. He'll never know how much he inspired me to do the same when he talked about his self-imposed responsibility.
He was a great guy but brain cancer didn't care. It still makes me feel good that in his last days he seemed to treasure an Arizona Diamondbacks cap that I gave him.
What an honor and privilege to have known Richard. I loved his real, genuine smile. I remember him as having "straight one's", being on the honor roll, like, always! And being president of Mu Alpha Theta. I also can still picture him in his ROTC uniform. I was thumbing through my yearbook, and found an article clipped from what looks like the World Herald..."BHS Spotlight" that featured Richard. It quoted him as saying (in reference to him running track and crosscountry in addition to his many academic pursuits) "Physical development should accompany intellectual growth". Richard is one of the many I will really miss at the reunion.
I am one of the many who have great memories of Dick, and still miss him a lot. He had the rare gift of making you feel that you were his best friend, even though he had so many wonderful friendships. Cher and I enjoyed having Dick and Steve visit us in Kansas City, where we made an excellent paella and had many laughs. I was also fortunate to go on a fishing trip to Little Sand Lake in MN with Dick, Steve, and some of their buddies not long before he passed away. I don't remember if the fishing was any good, but I'll always cherish the time we spent together
Thank you, Elaine, Danny, Tom and Chuck for your memories of Dick. He would have loved being at the reunion, seeing all of the people he held so dear during high school and beyond. I cherish everyone's comments about him and will share them with Jason, JoAnna and Millie and their kids. He didn't live to see any of his grandkids but perhaps, this way, they will learn a bit more about him. Thanks again.
Steve Mion (Longsdorf)
After graduation from Benson, Dick went to Northwestern for a year and then tranferred to Omaha University (UNO) where he graduated with honors. Three days after graduation we married and by fall we had moved to Tucson where he attended the University of Arizona on a fellowship. In 1968 we were both hired to teach in Jefferson County, Colorado. Dick taught English at Bear Creek High School until we moved to Germany where he taught English and math in Schweinfurt at a DOD middle school. A move back to Colorado took us to the western slope where Dick continued in education as a high school administrator. By the time we moved back to the Denver area, we had three kids and Dick had a new career as a stock broker/financial planner. For the last twenty years of his life Dick helped clients manage their money. It was with pride that he helped them save for important events in their lives. Dick died on July 7, 1998, after battling a brain tumor for 14 months. We miss him every day.
Steve Longsdorf
Dan Stoney
Dick and I were in Boy Scouts together forever. I think they had to kick me out of scouting when I joined the Navy. Dick's father and older brother were our scout leaders for many years. The whole Longsdorf family helped mold many of us into what we are today. I don't recall what year it was, but Dick and I and many others decided to walk to Lincoln in conjunction with some heath kick. As I recall we made it to Waverly Nebraska about midnight, laid down to rest, fell asleep, and when we awoke were so sore and stiff we could hardly move. I'm very sorry to hear Dick passed away, he was a good scout, a good man, and a good friend.
Tom Patterson
Steve Mion (Longsdorf)
Thank you, Tom.
Elaine Townsdin (Schackmann)
What an honor and privilege to have known Richard. I loved his real, genuine smile. I remember him as having "straight one's", being on the honor roll, like, always! And being president of Mu Alpha Theta. I also can still picture him in his ROTC uniform. I was thumbing through my yearbook, and found an article clipped from what looks like the World Herald..."BHS Spotlight" that featured Richard. It quoted him as saying (in reference to him running track and crosscountry in addition to his many academic pursuits) "Physical development should accompany intellectual growth". Richard is one of the many I will really miss at the reunion.
Chuck Will
I am one of the many who have great memories of Dick, and still miss him a lot. He had the rare gift of making you feel that you were his best friend, even though he had so many wonderful friendships. Cher and I enjoyed having Dick and Steve visit us in Kansas City, where we made an excellent paella and had many laughs. I was also fortunate to go on a fishing trip to Little Sand Lake in MN with Dick, Steve, and some of their buddies not long before he passed away. I don't remember if the fishing was any good, but I'll always cherish the time we spent together
Steve Mion (Longsdorf)
Thank you, Elaine, Danny, Tom and Chuck for your memories of Dick. He would have loved being at the reunion, seeing all of the people he held so dear during high school and beyond. I cherish everyone's comments about him and will share them with Jason, JoAnna and Millie and their kids. He didn't live to see any of his grandkids but perhaps, this way, they will learn a bit more about him. Thanks again.
Steve