Richard B. Emery Sr. passed away peacefully at St. Francis Hospital on Tuesday, April 25, 2017. He was 91.
He was born in Philadelphia, PA, the third son of Ferdinand and Mary (Boyce) Emery on July 18, 1925. He joined the Army in 1943 after high school and served in the Army Air Forces as a flight engineer in a troop carrier unit in the European Theater based first in England and later France.
While training in the states he met the love of his life, Shirley Hazel, in St. Louis, MO. Following his service, he returned to marry her in St. Louis on November 14, 1945.
Daughter Frances was born in St. Louis in 1947.
His interest in aviation as a career was fueled by his experiences and he became an aircraft mechanic with American Airlines in St. Louis in 1951. Subsequent roles were as a power plant technician and instructor before relocating to American's new maintenance base in Tulsa in the early sixties.
In 1965 he was selected as part of a team to help build BAC 111 aircraft for American which were purchased from British Aircraft Corporation. During this time, he lived in Bournemouth England later moving his wife and daughter there. During their stay Shirley gave birth to their son Richard Jr.
After returning to Tulsa he moved into management with American eventually retiring as Director of the Maintenance Operations Center in Tulsa. He retired in late 1990.
Richard was a unique individual who loved to read and learn but above all actually do. He enjoyed travelling with his family frequently and in particular to England whose people he had developed an affinity for while living there.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 63 years on April 1, 2009. He is survived by daughter and son in law, Frances and George L. Kauffman of Daphne, AL; son and daughter in law, Richard and Ellen Emery of Bixby; grandchildren Chris and Manilyn Kauffman of Orlando, FL; Jeremy and Karen Kauffman of Statesville, NC; Jeff Kauffman and Susanne Barnard of Tulsa, OK; and finally Aaron, Ethan, and Emily Emery all of Bixby. In addition to the six grandchildren he had nine great grandchildren.
Richard was a force in life and whether loved as he was by most or otherwise he could not be ignored. His great broad smile and friendliness will be missed by all who knew him but especially by those lucky enough to have known his love.
A Memorial service honoring Richard's life will be held at Moore Southlawn on Saturday, May 20th at 1:00pm.