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| Lynn and Richard |
Richard and I (Rob) met through work. He lived and worked in California with Northrop Grumman whom contracted with my government employer. Richard and I hit it off immediately. He was warm and funny. He was also easy-going and just a wonderful guy.
I got to meet him in person a couple of times when he flew to the East coast for work, and Tom and I both fondly remember an evening where we met him in Baltimore and went to dinner.
Over the years since his retirement, he kept quite active, volunteering for a museum, vacationing with his wife Lynn, and sons Will and Sam, and daughter in law, Cassie. They also have a dog named Reggie, whom Richard and I spoke about often (being a dog dad myself).
We always look forward to the family's holiday greeting because it is filled with adventures and always came with a letter from Richard. This year, the letter came from his wife, Lynn, breaking the sad news to us.
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| Richard and Lynn |
Although I know that Richard is always going to be around in spirit, it's always difficult to know that I won't hear his voice or receive a letter from him anymore. However, I treasure our connection with Lynn and the family and he will always speak through them, too. I'm sure Richard will give a sign that he's around, he loved his family more than anything else.
Below is the beautifully written obituary, so that you will get to know this amazing, wonderful friend of ours who has moved on.Love, Rob and Tom
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| Richard |
Obituary for Richard Allen Bent
Richard
Allen Bent passed away suddenly from a heart attack on Saturday, March
17, 2018 while walking in the Laguna Niguel Regional Park, Laguna
Niguel, CA. Blessedly, his wife, Lynn, and sons, Samuel and William, and
daughter-in-law, Cassie, were with him at the time of his passing.
Born to Ralph and Betty Bent of Compton, California on July 29th, 1952, Richard’s name was inspired by "Little Ricky" from the "I Love Lucy" show, and the family called their sweet baby boy "Ricky."
As Ricky began to grow and thrive, he earned a new name, Happy Chappy, given to him by his father, because he was always smiling and everyone else who was ever near him would always smile back.
As a young boy, he loved to play football and then baseball - he excelled at whatever sport activity he took on. He was fun-loving and a bit mischievous, just ask the cat who would hiss whenever Ricky would squeeze his paw in just the right way. He enjoyed spending time with his many friends from the neighborhood and from school.
He also did well in his school studies and was accepted into San Diego State University where he earned two Bachelor's degrees, one in anthropology and the other in journalism.
His career path eventually took him to TRW, later becoming Northrop Grumman, where he rose in the ranks to become the manager of the Marketing Communications department. In this position, he designed and supervised the construction of high-profile and technologically sophisticated exhibits for the demonstration and sale of Northrop Grumman's aerospace products.
It was also at TRW where he met and later married his beautiful and beloved wife, Lynn. He treasured his life with her and eventually they were blessed by the birth of their first son, Sam, and a little over a year later by the birth of their second son, Will - two darling and cherished boys.
Richard's life had an abundance of experiences, both at work and at home. He traveled the world, supervising his exhibit installations and acquiring a wealth of knowledge about other places, cultures, and customs. When he wasn’t busy traveling, he savored his time at home with Lynn, Sam and Will, and the many dogs that shared life with them throughout the years. He supported his sons' numerous and varied activities, including coaching the sports teams they joined, guiding Will's Eagle Scout project and taking the whole family on innumerable and memorable family vacations. Whenever he could, he participated fully with his beloved family.
Eventually, after many productive and successful years, Richard retired from Northrop Grumman. He would miss the camaraderie he had enjoyed with his many friends from work, but now a new chapter was about to begin in his life.
For the first time in years, he now had the opportunity to pursue many of his personal interests, including his special passion of railroad travel and advocacy. He was also a Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard member and chapter president. He mentored incoming college students at San Diego State, fundraised and participated in half marathons and century bike rides for numerous charities, learned the art of neon glass sign making, made videos using his drone, and created an organic garden, with the help of his giant puppy, Reggie, among other pursuits. His curiosity was boundless and his life blossomed happily and pleasantly with all of the new avenues for exploration and discovery that became available to him. At the same time, he was also finally able to "relax and enjoy," as his dad used to say, while engaging in all of these activities and spending precious time with his family.
Richard is survived by his wife Lynn, sons Samuel and William, daughter-in-law Cassie Bent, mother Betty Bent, brothers Wayne and Daniel Bent, sisters Barbara Wills, Nancy Delaney and Lenise Bent, nieces Alyssa Roduner, Renata Delaney, Renee Quinn, Sheila Center, Susan Bent Haines and Cristiana Crews, and nephews Ian Delaney, Jeff Bent and Rob Wills.
In Lieu of Flowers, please donate to the Nature Conservancy in Richard's name by visiting:
https://www.nature.org/membership-giving/more-ways-to-give/tribute-honor-giving/index.htm?intc=nature.tnav.give
Please join us in remembering Richard. Through this site, we invite you to share your thoughts and fond memories with our family.
Born to Ralph and Betty Bent of Compton, California on July 29th, 1952, Richard’s name was inspired by "Little Ricky" from the "I Love Lucy" show, and the family called their sweet baby boy "Ricky."
As Ricky began to grow and thrive, he earned a new name, Happy Chappy, given to him by his father, because he was always smiling and everyone else who was ever near him would always smile back.
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| Richard at a NASA launch |
As a young boy, he loved to play football and then baseball - he excelled at whatever sport activity he took on. He was fun-loving and a bit mischievous, just ask the cat who would hiss whenever Ricky would squeeze his paw in just the right way. He enjoyed spending time with his many friends from the neighborhood and from school.
He also did well in his school studies and was accepted into San Diego State University where he earned two Bachelor's degrees, one in anthropology and the other in journalism.
His career path eventually took him to TRW, later becoming Northrop Grumman, where he rose in the ranks to become the manager of the Marketing Communications department. In this position, he designed and supervised the construction of high-profile and technologically sophisticated exhibits for the demonstration and sale of Northrop Grumman's aerospace products.
It was also at TRW where he met and later married his beautiful and beloved wife, Lynn. He treasured his life with her and eventually they were blessed by the birth of their first son, Sam, and a little over a year later by the birth of their second son, Will - two darling and cherished boys.
Richard's life had an abundance of experiences, both at work and at home. He traveled the world, supervising his exhibit installations and acquiring a wealth of knowledge about other places, cultures, and customs. When he wasn’t busy traveling, he savored his time at home with Lynn, Sam and Will, and the many dogs that shared life with them throughout the years. He supported his sons' numerous and varied activities, including coaching the sports teams they joined, guiding Will's Eagle Scout project and taking the whole family on innumerable and memorable family vacations. Whenever he could, he participated fully with his beloved family.
Eventually, after many productive and successful years, Richard retired from Northrop Grumman. He would miss the camaraderie he had enjoyed with his many friends from work, but now a new chapter was about to begin in his life.
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| Richard (center) and friends |
For the first time in years, he now had the opportunity to pursue many of his personal interests, including his special passion of railroad travel and advocacy. He was also a Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard member and chapter president. He mentored incoming college students at San Diego State, fundraised and participated in half marathons and century bike rides for numerous charities, learned the art of neon glass sign making, made videos using his drone, and created an organic garden, with the help of his giant puppy, Reggie, among other pursuits. His curiosity was boundless and his life blossomed happily and pleasantly with all of the new avenues for exploration and discovery that became available to him. At the same time, he was also finally able to "relax and enjoy," as his dad used to say, while engaging in all of these activities and spending precious time with his family.
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| A younger Richard |
Richard is survived by his wife Lynn, sons Samuel and William, daughter-in-law Cassie Bent, mother Betty Bent, brothers Wayne and Daniel Bent, sisters Barbara Wills, Nancy Delaney and Lenise Bent, nieces Alyssa Roduner, Renata Delaney, Renee Quinn, Sheila Center, Susan Bent Haines and Cristiana Crews, and nephews Ian Delaney, Jeff Bent and Rob Wills.
In Lieu of Flowers, please donate to the Nature Conservancy in Richard's name by visiting:
https://www.nature.org/membership-giving/more-ways-to-give/tribute-honor-giving/index.htm?intc=nature.tnav.give
Please join us in remembering Richard. Through this site, we invite you to share your thoughts and fond memories with our family.
