Richard Bruce Warner's Obituary
Richard Bruce “Dick” Warner peacefully passed into the loving arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, at 5:51 p.m. on June 21, 2024, at his assisted living facility, the Ashleigh at Lansdowne, in Leesburg, VA, while listening to Suite No 3 in D Major by Bach with his only child, Robin, by his side. The son of Hal Alfred Warner (who at some point changed his middle name from Ashford to Alfred) and Ruby Leona White, Richard was born at 2 p.m. on January 8, 1932, in Des Moines, Iowa. He grew up there and was an active participant in both the Cub and Boy Scouts, eventually attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended Drake University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art in 1953. With the draft on for Korea, Richard chose to enlist in the US Army as a Company Aidman and was stationed at Ft. Benning, GA where he served on active duty as a medic for nearly two years. Upon his return home, he studied Interior Architecture and Decoration in New York at the Parson’s School of Design in from 1955-1956 but did not complete a degree. In the late 1950s, he moved to San Mateo, California, with his parents, where he would meet the love of his life, Barbara, while volunteering for the Republican Party and the Nixon campaign. They would marry on June 24, 1961, and were happily married for nearly 50 years until her passing in 2011. Richard and Barbara were the 10th family to move into Foster City in 1964, and lived there and raised their daughter, Robin, for nearly 40 years before moving to Ashburn, Virginia, in 2003 to be closer to her and son in law, Patrick. Richard worked in property management, managing an assortment of mostly professional buildings, including properties managed by Madison and Burke in San Francisco, the G.W Williams Company in Belmont, doctor’s offices in Mills Square in San Mateo, a strip mall in Foster City, and some strip malls in Sacramento. He was an IREM certified property manager and was president of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter in 1973. Richard was an avid sportsman, playing tennis when he was young, and running, sailing and SCUBA diving, including becoming a certified instructor, when he was older. A painter, an amateur regular and underwater photographer, and veteran world traveler, Richard particularly loved Europe and all things French including the French language. He always spoke fondly of his month-long, grand European tour in 1960, traveled extensively through Europe with wife Barbara, and in his later years returned to Europe with daughter Robin on a series of Viking River Cruises. He loved a good bottle of wine and a simple charcuterie plate, particularly Merlot, Pinot Noir combined with stinky cheeses (Brie and camembert were favorites.) He was passionate about music, particularly classical, played violin and guitar, and was a paid tenor for Grace Cathedral in San Fransisco when he was a bachelor. He retained a love of scouting his whole life, stepping up and volunteering to become the only male Girl Scout leader, when no one else was available so his daughter could continue her own scouting journey, and sat on Eagle Scout boards in both California and Virginia. A jovial friend to any and all who met him, in his later years he spent much time conversing with friends and random strangers, unofficially running for mayor of Ashburn on his daily walks near his Belmont home, and in restaurants, stores and doctor’s offices. A Sigma Alpha Epsilon in college, Richard took the True Gentleman creed to heart all his life. He was particular about the temperature of his coffee, and the cut of his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He refused to, and couldn’t understand why anyone would, casually or recreationally wear jeans for fun (hilariously including his own daughter and son-in-law), choosing to wear only khakis, corduroy or slacks during his lifetime. No matter what came his way, he always had a cringe-worthy or corny “dad joke” to tell and insisted that “You gotta keep your sense of humor, kid!” He leaves behind his daughter, Robin, brother-in and sister-in-law, Jack and Cindy Hansen, nephew Michael Hansen (Colette), niece Margaret Larson (Greg), dear friend of many years, Jill Goodman, the extended Mooney/Dvorak/Jennings clan on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and in Rhode Island, and many, many dear friends. He also leaves behind a legacy of love for his family; passion for art, travel, classical music and the ocean; and his favorite green chairs. He will be sorely missed.
Services will be on September 21, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at St David’s Episcopal Church in Ashburn, followed by a private internment and a reception at Belmont Country Club. Per the above, attendees are requested not to wear jeans (unless, of course, you’re coming from work!) In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Boy Scouts of America, Peninsula District; Guide Dogs for the Blind; or the Coral Reef Alliance.
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