Richard Leppington passed away peacefully on May 9th after a very sudden stage IV cancer diagnosis. He was held tight by Odette (his wife, our Mom) and us, his children, Cara (46) and Christopher (43) as we played Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” one last time for him. Richard’s generosity continues on as he was able to donate cornea tissue to give sight to two people. It comforts us to know he has now enabled two more people to see “trees of green, red roses too…” A celebration of life will be held this summer for those who loved him to gather together in his honor. 

Richard was raised in Beechmount in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was raised by his beloved Granny Darby, responsible for the name, Big Darby, the first of many nicknames. Richard always loved music and loved to play it loud. In his late teens/early 20’s, when he wasn’t delivering kegs of Guinness around Belfast, Ricky was impeccably dressed in his best 60’s/70’s attire frequenting the latest dance halls in town. In 1968, on one of those nights out, Richard’s best friend, Billy Maguire, introduced him to Odette Eastwood. 

Richard and Odette married in 1972 and bought their first house on Gransha Avenue in Belfast and their last in Rescue, CA in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains. Their life together was filled with music, laughter, children, dancing, grandchildren, family, travel, good food, and walking hand in hand through life’s ups and downs. They had a unique, 49 year love story that restored hope that true love endures. 

Richard’s last outing was for their 4th...and 24th...and 49th wedding anniversary (if you know, you know). A family tradition is to underline or notate special lines in greeting cards.  In the last anniversary card he gave our Mom, he notated in bold:

I think of the days

When we first fell in love (1969!)

Our dreams,

all the changes since then - 

And I look at us now

and just know in my heart,

if I had to choose over again, (I did)

You’d still be the one

I’d want by my side

to share every day of my life… (always)

You’re my soulmate,

my lover,

my best friend forever - 

my partner, 

my beautiful wife. (So happy we’re together)

In 1979, Richard and Odette immigrated with us, then ages 4 and 1, to join other Eastwood family members in the Bay Area of California. He built a life for us that was filled with love. He moved us to Sacramento in 1983. In 1993 he moved back to the Bay Area, but eventually moved back to Sacramento in 2005 - he wasn’t about to let Nanny be better acquainted with their granddaughter, Emma Rose. 

We will remember our Dad as a giant among men. He modeled for us how to be a good friend by putting relationships above all else, even at work. He loved us unconditionally and was at our sides for all of life’s ups and downs. His sarcastic humor and dance moves were staples in most of our time together. He cheered from the sidelines of our games and showed interest in everything that interested us - even if it was terribly boring. He showed up to put furniture together, paint walls, and hook up electronics. He taught us to scream at the television when our teams do well (we can still hear “Go Jerry!!!”). His use of encouraging Bitmojis was impressive. His tight hugs and big laugh will never be forgotten. We are both the outgoing, friend-stacked people we are because of him. 

He was an affectionate, generous and silly Papa to Emma (17). Braydon (12), and Delaney (7). They will remember his encouragement, his sarcasm and wit, and celebrating them at their birthdays, dance recitals, games, and school events.  

We all proudly shared him with the children of his closest friends; he attended competitive water fights, birthday parties, Tuesday Night dinners, sporting events, and graduations to show his support of everyone’s milestones. 

Big Ricky was a loyal friend through and through and had more friends than any one person should really be allotted. He lived for “sing songs” and party performances with his Irish crew. He loved trips to Pajaro Dunes and any excuse to get together to tell stories and sing.  

An invitation to a Monday Night Football game in 1980 launched his decades-long devotion to two things:  the San Francisco 49ers and a brotherhood of more friends he valued until the day he passed. With only one at bat under his belt, he was the star player on the Jackalopes. He loved Monday Night Football rotations, Thursday nights at CB Hannegan’s and travelling to Vegas, Cabo and Myrtle Beach with them. 

Richard spent the majority of his professional life in management positions with American Building Maintenance (ABM) in San Jose, Sacramento, San Francisco, and back again in Sacramento where he “retired” in 2015 - well...he was still doing customer relations until the pandemic which consisted of lunches and golf with friends as far as we’re concerned. Richard was gifted in sales and fostering customer relationships, most recently illustrated when former colleagues and customers reached out with well wishes as they learned he was ill. 

In recent years, Richard spent time swinging his clubs chasing that elusive perfect round. He loved to travel and, over the past several years, enjoyed trips to Ireland, the Oregon Coast, Lake Tahoe, Yellowstone, Carmel, Cabo San Lucas, San Diego, and wine country. He loved sitting in his comfy chair watching birds perch on his growing bird-feeder collection and waiting for his grandchildren to visit their Papa to fill the house with loud, lovely chaos. He looked forward to weekly zoom calls with his friends, a fortunate silver lining of the past year. He loved group WhatsApp threads to keep in touch with our family in Belfast. He spent a ridiculous amount of time on his iPad (a recent shift to Apple products shocking his family to our core) researching the latest Range Rover and seaside homes on the Antrim Coast. 

Richard was taken from us too soon and is survived by his wife Odette (Eastwood) Leppington, daughter Cara Messmore (husband Eric),  son Christopher, granddaughter Emma, 17 (with whom he lived and clocked thousands of miles driving her to and from school and friends’ houses), grandson Braydon, 12 and Delaney, 7 (their mother, Cristina Porter), an extended Irish family in California, Washington, Georgia, and Belfast, and scores of people around the world who called him Uncle, Big Ricky, brother-in-law, “the Big Lad,” father-in-law, entertainer, “Reverend Ricky,” confidant, Papa and dear friend. He will be missed, but never forgotten.