About Phil

Photo by Arnie Shaw

Phillip Frances Richards, a Beaumont resident, passed away on Saturday, January 11, 2014, as the result of injuries he sustained in a hit-and-run collision with a car while riding his bicycle in Calimesa on Sunday, Dec. 29.

The oldest of six children of Ernest and Regina Richards, Phillip was born November 20, 1949, in Boston, Mass., and moved to California when he was five years old. After living in Gardena, his family settled in Huntington Beach, where he attended Marina High School and Fountain Valley High School, where he graduated in 1967. He attended Golden West College in Huntington Beach and was awarded an associate of arts degree.

He worked in retail in Orange County early in his career and moved to Redlands, then Yucaipa and finally settled in Beaumont, Calif., with his wife Annette, whom he married in 1999.

He loved life and showed it in everything he did. He will be missed dearly for his lively conversation, his great sense of humor, and for his love of his family, friends and others.

He served as a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service for 37 years, retiring in 2012. During his tenure with the Postal Service, he had a reputation for extraordinary service to his customers, many of whom were elderly persons living in mobile homes in his delivery area of Yucaipa. During the holidays, he was showered with gifts, candy and homemade baked goods by his customers.

Phillip was a great, lifetime athlete. In his early adult years, he was a competitive runner and avid surfer and was a regular at the major surf spots in Southern California from Trestles in San Diego County to Point Conception in Santa Barbara County. He was also an accomplished racquetball player who competed in tournaments throughout Southern California.

In the mid-1980s, he turned his athletic and competitive attention to cycling and began a nearly 30-year legacy of competition in road races locally and nationally. He won the Redlands Bicycle Classic’s circuit race for veteran riders over 35 years of age in 1986 and won or stood on the podium in countless races during his career. Despite being fitted with a pacemaker for his heart in 2012, he continued to train was preparing for the 2014 racing season when he was injured in the accident that took his life.

He was a great lover of music and enjoyed a diverse assortment of styles and artists ranging from Bach to B.B. King. During his final hours in the hospital, his room was filled with the music of Mozart, one of his favorite composers. He also loved animals and raised many dogs and cats during his life – mostly rescued animals.

A master organic gardener, he had a reputation for producing a bounty of vegetables and fruit that he offered regularly to his friends while advocating for a clean, plant-based diet for optimal health and athletic performance. He was a connoisseur of fine wines, maintained a cellar of rare wines, and often made wine and brewed beer at home.

Raised as a Roman Catholic, he studied the religions of the world and adopted his own approach to spirituality. He meditated daily and was adamant about withholding judgment of others and choosing instead to love everyone equally. His extraordinary generosity was a surprise to many and an example for those who were touched by it. If someone needed something, he was there to offer it: no questions asked; no compensation required.

His father Ernest preceded him in death. He is survived by his mother Regina of Huntington Beach, wife Annette of Beaumont; sister Kathy Fitzpatrick of Sierra Vista, Ariz., her husband Tom, and their children Shannon, Jennifer and Andrew; brother Steven of Lake Forest, Calif., his wife Leona and their son Steven; sister Susan Richards of Huachuca, Ariz.; sister Regina Apodoca of Hereford, Ariz., her husband Joe, and their daughters Chelena and Andrea; brother David of Corona, Calif., his wife Johanne and their children Benjamin and Michelle; daughter from his first marriage Linney Eley of Lucedale, Miss., her husband Todd and their children Garrett, Emily, James and Katie; daughter Lisa of Roseville, Calif., and her children Skyler and Syrus; son Joshua of Roseville, his wife Saundra and their children Taylor, Christopher and Rylee; step-daughter from his second marriage Melissa Villalpando of Redlands, her husband Brian and their daughter Ryan Kelley; daughter Christine Richards and her partner Damien King of Long Beach, Calif.; and son Jacob Richards of Long Beach.

Don’s tribute to Phil: http://ambulandodiscimus.blogspot.com/2014/06/farewell-my-friend.html