Richard Heaphy

Richard John Heaphy was born in Newark N.J. on the Fourth of July 1948.   As an Army brat he traveled as an infant with his mother Margaret Sullivan Heaphy and father John J. Heaphy to Germany where his father was stationed.  Family pictures chronicle his next three years in various locations throughout Europe (being the first born on both sides of the family definitely had its privileges).  Richard and his mother returned to Newark to welcome new brother, Mike into the family and were followed by Dad when his tour of duty returned him stateside to Schenectady, New York where brother Joe was born.  Two more family members, Stephen and Mary, were added to the family and the Heaphy family moved to Concord New Hampshire, where the youngest brother John was born.

The Heaphy family relocated permanently to Albuquerque, upon Dads retirement from the Army, when Richard was 13 years old.  Richard attended eighth grade at Heights Catholic School (now called Our Lady of Fatima) and attended high school at the newly formed St. Pius High School where he met his lifelong friend Sharon Riley Royman, who was his Prom date Senior year.

After high school Richard was drafted into the Army for two years.  Due to his aptitude in problem solving he spent a year at several Army training schools before deployment to South Vietnam.  In South Vietnam he built from scratch, systems and procedures to run the Manpower Control Office. His tireless work earned him The Army Commendation Medal.  Richard was also awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor.  Richard did not really share much about his military awards or his time in Vietnam but he was proud to be a veteran…just check out the license plate on his car!

When Richard came back from Vietnam, he moved to Rock Island Illinois at the suggestion of an Army buddy who told him there was almost unlimited work available.  He worked there for a year, then returned to Albuquerque.  Richard put his problem solving skills to work at every job he had.  He worked at Montgomery Wards in sales, managed a hotel on Central, managed Red Lobster Restaurant, and worked in management at the fledgling company UPS.  Richard’s next challenge was a job at the US postal Service in Albuquerque where he began as a sorter and worked his way up to Human Resources and Labor Relations.  Richard developed many lasting friendships at the Post Office, most notable was his friend Karole Edwards who has remained a steadfast friend his entire life.

Richard felt the pull to relocate to New Jersey, where he grew up.  Richard had taken trips with his cousin Dan Drew to New York City and loved the theater, shopping, and sights of the city.  He wanted to be close enough to visit the NYC but his heart was in New Jersey.  He took a job at St. Francis Hospital System in Human Resources and Labor Relations and made many trips to New York City. In Jersey City he made new friendships, Marguerite Schwartz, Janet Gino, and Ann McCallum and many others.   When the St. Francis Hospital was bought out by a large hospital system he decided to take a job in Oakland California with Kaiser Permanente in Labor Relations.

Richard worked at Kaiser Permanente until he retired.  He enjoyed the work and was most proud of negotiating with the nurses union a one billion dollar salary package.  He deeply valued the work of nurses in the hospital system.  Richard again added many new friends in Oakland. His Jersey friend, Ann McCallum, moved with him to work as his assistant at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland and this new group of friends traveled together to Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Carmel to name a few favorites. Even after retiring from Kaiser, Richard kept in touch with all his friends.

After retirement Richard moved back to New Jersey, this time locating in Brick, to be close to the ocean and New York City.  Richard reconnected with his pals in Jersey City and enjoyed being able to travel to more easily to Europe.  But Richard found Brick to be too stuffy

and lacked the variety of cuisine he was used to in California, so he loaded up his stuff and returned to New Mexico.  This time he settled in Santa Fe and met many new friends but always kept in touch with his friends from Jersey and Oakland.  Richard tried all the New Mexican foods of Santa Fe, visited museums and planned new adventures. In 2019, COVID cancelled a planned trip to travel down the Nile in Egypt

with his dentist and friend Donna Kidby.  Richard loved to travel and prided himself on having visited almost every continent.  After the trip to Africa, Antarctica would be the only continent he had not visited.  His favorite country to visit was Italy and he must have visited Italy at least four times.

Finally Richard decided to move back to Albuquerque and rented an apartment a short walk from ABQ shops where the old St. Pius once stood.  He lived less than 2 miles from 4516 Joe Dan where the Heaphy Family grew up.  He reconnected with his longtime friends and his nephew Stephen became his newest friend.  Stephen introduced Richard to the shooting range and where to get the best Italian sandwiches and cannolis.  Richard was a friend and brother who shared our holidays, loved to talk about travel, and was the expert on family history.  We have loved every minute of our 18 months with you here in Albuquerque and wish that God had not called you home so soon.  Thank you for sharing your life with us.  Save a place for us in Heaven.  See Ya!

Richard is preceded in death by his mother, Margaret Sullivan Heaphy. His father John James Heaphy, and his sister, Mary Heaphy Gonce.

We would like to thank the staff at UNM Hospital Emergency Care, ICU and Medical Floor for their outstanding care of Richard and compassion for him and our family.

Final notes about Richard from his brother Steve.  In talking to people this last number of weeks about Richard, I have found that Richard was a private individual who made lifelong friends wherever he was living, lived life to the fullest, was EXCELLENT at his job wherever that job was and he will be sorely missed by so many.  Richard was not born in Albuquerque but grew up here and returned here for his last years.  It was truly a complete circle for Richard. In addition to the friends listed above, I wish to list additional friends that i have had the pleasure of corresponding with during this difficult time.  Traveling companions David Issac, Shirley Jones and Willetta Johnson. Betty Sargent who notified all the Kaiser folks of Richard’s passing.  Marguerite who notified all the Jersey folks to include Janet Gino and Etta Bushong.  I know i have missed many more friends but be assured that Richard loved all of you!  I thank Richard for being a great brother to me and I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK HIM FOR BEING A GREAT UNCLE TO MY SON STEPHEN.  I will close with a message I found on his phone—May you forever soar on the wings of angels—- Your spirit will live on forever in the house of God.

The rosary will precede the Funeral Mass at 10:30 am.

Funeral Mass for Richard will be celebrated on Friday January 21 at 11:00am at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, on the corner of Lomas and Tennessee NE,  Albuquerque NM

Reception at French’s Funerals Wyoming, 7121 Wyoming NE, Albuquerque NM at 12:30pm-2:30pm

Internment of Richard’s cremains at the Santa Fe National Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico will be Monday January 24, at 12:45 pm