Richard Lee DeWees

It is with great sorrow I write of the passing of our much beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He was born in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, in 1948, and died July 30, 2009.

Dick always said that being Mayor of Lompoc was the perfect job for him. Our home has stacks of books on American history and government. He loved America, and he loved Lompoc. And, amazingly enough to most of us, he loved the political process with all of its pleasure and pain. But, he especially loved being the Mayor. He enjoyed giving speeches and talking about the city; he loved its children and elderly citizens. And he had great respect and affection for those with whom he worked; all of the city workers, the police and firefights, the veterans; and for the people of Lompoc. There were times he was under great pressure to do something for a particular group or person, but he believed that he was there to serve the best interests of the city as a whole; and although he made some people angry he wanted to be led by no one, only by his conscience and beliefs.

He was a loving, fun husband, father, and grandfather. His children and granddaughters meant the world to him. He was so proud of his two children, Nathan and Anna; his children-in-law, Javon and Jeremy; and his two beautiful granddaughters, Emma and Madelyn, were the light of his life. God was his foundation in life, and is his joy in heaven.

He is survived by all of his family and friends, to whom I am most grateful for their outpouring of love and support. If you would like to give, please do so to the Lompoc Library Foundation, Mural Society; or, if you are a member of his church family, to the Lompoc Foursquare Future Fund. A service for Dick will be held at the Lompoc Foursquare Church on Thursday, August 6, 2009, at 3:00 P.M.

The arrangements are in the care of Starbuck-Lind Mortuary.