Richard J. “Dick” Hartford, 72, of No. Miami Beach, FL passed away Thursday morning, June 5, 2008 at Golden Palm Residential Facility after a lengthy illness.
Born in Fargo, North Dakota, he was raised in Spokane, WA. He moved to Ft. Pierce, FL in 2002 and to Pembroke Pines, FL in 2004 for two years. He worked in the citrus industry, packaging grapefruit. He retired as a handyman and could fix anything. He was a US Army veteran, serving prior to Vietnam. He played the piano and enjoyed riding his bike.
Survivors include his seven sisters: Dorothy E. Hull of Port St. Lucie, FL, Carol Belisle of East Point, MI, Elizabeth Gayle of Mt. Holly, NC, Glenna Kirk of Chicago, IL, twins Barbara Redwine of Dillsboro, IN and Bonnie Warnock of West Springville, VA, and Virginia Fucinari of Decatur, IL; and many nieces and nephews.
Burial will be held at South Florida VA National Cemetery, 6501 S. State Road 7, Lake Worth, FL 33449.
Richard Jay Hartford, “Uncle Dickey” was like a father to me. He taught me everything I know about electronics repair and theory, and encouraged me in all my projects and pursuits.
Richard was an incredible man who had many interests. Together we built a shortwave radio kit, repaired a 1932 Philco Shortwave Radio, rebuilt an entire upright piano, told me how to formulate gunpowder, and hundreds of other stimulating projects.
I will remember Richard most for his activism and music. He wrote the editors of several newspapers on many occasions fighting for the rights of common workers to include “Garbage Workers” of which he was one at one time. His songs that he wrote: “Goat Went Around the Button” and “Garbage Workers” will always be remembered by me and my family who heard them often being sung by Richard on Guitar.
Richard has been a part of my life from age 11 to 2008. I think about him daily.
Love,
Darrell Kirk Jr.
Richard was my only brother. He was the oldest of 9 children, of which 8 were girls. I have fond memories of our early childhood since we were just 4 years apart.
Later he lived next door to us and we did many things together. He was helpful in caring for our father in his old age.
I miss him.
Love, Dorothy
My brother Dick was twelve years older than me.
I remember once when he was home he threw a lot of pennies on the floor for me and some of my sisters. We scrambled to pick them up.
It was off to the store to buy lots of penny candy.
Rest in peace big brother.