Richard "Rich" William Hannold

Richard "Rich" William Hannold, age 74, US Navy, retired, passed away on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, surrounded by his family at his home. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Helen of Rio Rancho, NM; his son, Sean Hannold and his wife Cindy of Rio Rancho, NM; his daughter, Ashley Hannold, and her partner, Curtis Newlin of Albuquerque, NM; his granddaughter, Alexandria Hannold of Albuquerque, NM; and his grandson, Ryan Hannold of Rio Rancho, NM. He is also survived by his siblings, Mary Lynne Shannon and her husband, John of Albuquerque, NM, Susan Guy and her husband, Craig of Saegertown, PA, Lee Anne Mathers, and her husband, Richard of Erie, PA, as well as several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, William, and Marjorie Hannold.

Richard was born in Brookville, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Fairview on the shores of Lake Erie and graduated from Fairview high school in 1966. Richard joined the Navy on August 31, 1965, and subsequently attended recruit training and basic hospital corps school in San Diego, CA. Following an abbreviated tour at Camp Pendleton, he attended Field Medical Service School and was transferred to the First Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, Republic of Vietnam, as a Field Corpsman. This was the first of several tours with the Marine Corps, including Camp Pendleton, CA and the 1st Marine Brigade, Kaneohe, HI. Other duty stations included: Navy Weapons Station, China Lake, CA; Naval Regional Medical Center, San Diego, CA; USS Coral Sea (CV-43); and Military Entrance Processing Station, Albuquerque, NM, Naval School of Health Sciences, San Diego, CA.

While stationed at Pearl Harbor, HI, he co-authored and published several articles in the Journal of the American Medical Association and was selected for one of a very few Enlisted Officer in charge Billets at the Military Entrance Processing Station in Guam. As a First-Class Petty Officer, he was Battalion Medical Chief of a 60-man medical company that deployed with a Marine Infantry Battalion from Hawaii for the evacuation of Saigon, Republic of Vietnam. Richard was awarded the following: Purple Heart, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Good Conduct, Sea Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Presidential Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Navy Expeditionary Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Meritorious Commendation Gallantry Cross, and Vietnam Civic Action Ribbon. Richard also retired from the US Postal Service.

He met Helen Perez while they were both stationed at Camp Pendleton, and they were married there. They started their family and were reassigned several times before Richard retired from the Navy while in Albuquerque, NM. Richard was an avid reader, enjoyed music, fishing and carving walking sticks by hand. He enjoyed traveling with his wife. Richard never met a stranger, loved to tell stories and jokes, had a sharp wit, and had a great mind for trivia.

A Memorial Service will be on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at 11:00 a.m., at FRENCH – Westside.  Interment will be held on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at 2:30 p.m., at the Santa Fe National Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico.