4/24/30 – 12/3/22
Dear Reader:
In honor and sadness, we said goodbye to our father, Richard Lawrence Souther, who passed away in Santa Barbara, CA at the age of 92. With him until the end, we witnessed him leave this earthly life in peace, love and resolve.
Dad was born and raised in Richmond, CA. He was the only child of Lester Kerchival Souther and Jeanette Charlotte Deubner. From the window of his home, perched on a hill in, he watched the Golden Gate Bridge being built with awe and delight. His love for the Bay Area’s 49ers, Giants and Warriors started early and were lifelong passions for him. Dad’s parents and extended family were close, loving and devoted. Tragically, when he was just 14, his mother died of colon cancer. As his father continued to work as a foreman for Richmond Standard Oil Company, sleeping during the day and working at night, our dad had to become an independent and responsible young adult overnight. This seemingly set the stage for him to continue through his life as a survivor – forever having the will to push forward. Dad’s “key” mantra was that you must play the cards you’re dealt, and that’s exactly what he did.
During the years of WWII, school was only half day for Dad, because his community in the bay was part of the war effort. Therefore, he started working at a young age. He swept the floor of a refinery, worked at a gas station, and he even spent time working on an oil tanker off the coast of San Francisco. After high school, being a numbers guy, he worked at a bank. Later, he was drafted to serve in the Army during the Korean War. This proved to be a seminal time in his life. He endured and thrived in the rigor, discipline and patriotism of it all despite the hardships he experienced. He often shared with pride that his commander had said, “Souther, you’re a survivor.” Upon his return stateside, Dad decided banking was no longer for him and he headed off to Los Angeles to pursue a business degree from Woodbury College.
At Woodbury, he met Carole Jean Shrode who later become his wife and our mother. She was also born on April 24th, but in the year 1937. Her family loved Dad as their own. We thank him deeply for choosing her to be our mother, as she was simply the best! They were married for almost 50 years. Devastatingly, though, our mother passed away when she was only 68 years old. During her crippling illness, Dad showed his true character through and through. He was committed to her well-being until the end – kind, compassionate, and loyal. Although heartbroken, Dad survived this, too, and continued without Carole for 16 more years.
We were happily raised in Goleta, where Dad lived at 6201 for 62 years. In the Los Carneros neighborhood where we grew up, our life was idyllic. We thank Dad for supporting our family with his career as an accounts/credit manager throughout Santa Barbara so Mom could stay home with us. He worked for businesses such as Seaside Oil Company, Jordanos, Santa Barbara Medical Clinic, and Cox Cable. Companies genuinely loved his meticulous, thoroughly planned, fair and strategic ways in turning their business woes around.
We remember with fondness all the fun camping trips (particularly the oft repeated Memorial Day trips to El Capitan as well as to Richardson’s Grove and Indian Mary) and spending time with our extended family together and many awesome days at the beach as a family. We recall his piercing whistle which called us home from neighborhood games of “Hide and Seek” and which on one occasion kept Brad from getting lost after fishing until darkness fell at Lake Shasta. We appreciate the efforts of both our parents to provide us with a thoughtful life of safety, love and unity.
Dad liked to travel and followed in his father’s footsteps there. Dad took pride in having encouraged his father to retire early, so Lester could travel to Peru, Egypt, Hawaii and Europe. Dad’s discussion about the merits of grain vs grass fed beef with a waiter in Puerto Vallarta was the stuff of family legend. Dad also loved to eat – perhaps this was triggered by his “artichoke and bacon only” diet as a child.
Dad was good-hearted and cared more about what we and our families were doing than talking about himself. He is survived by his son Brad Souther, his wife Ann, and his daughter Laura Miller and her husband, Rick. He also leaves behind his grandchildren: Kevin, Neil, Reed, Greyson, Hailey, Ethan, Julianna, Nina, and Leon.
As a rule, Dad was very, very, appreciative of any and everyone’s efforts on his behalf – he was generous with his thanks and praise for those who crossed his path in a positive way. Until the end, he was forever concerned that his need for help might be too much for whomever was assisting him – worrying more about them than himself. Also ever interested in finding common ground with others, Dad always enjoyed talking to and learning from all those he met along his journeys
through life.
We will dearly miss Dad’s attentive ear, big belly laughs and his earthly presence in our lives.
Thank you, Reader, for your attention in reading the story of a life well-lived by our survivor dad, Richard Lawrence Souther. In lieu of flowers, we’d encourage donations in Dad’s name to 911AEI.Org.
In Love & Thanks, Dad –
Brad & Laura
