Richard Lee Lloyd

Richard Lee Lloyd, born Aug. 8, 1953, took his journey from this world on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016.

Richard spent his life a lover of all people, good music, Jesus, telling jokes, being a first responder, public servant and provider to his family. Richard was a great father, husband and grandfather.  A man of duty and a true working-class hero, he worked until he could no longer and retired at the beginning of 2016. He worked to ensure that his family had what they needed, and he was very proud of the fact that his and his wife’s efforts allowed for all three of his children to obtain a college degree and earn a sustainable living.

Richard met and fell in love with his wife, Lynn, while in high school at John Marshall in Oklahoma City. Upon graduation, Richard joined the U.S. Army with expectations to serve in Vietnam. Things didn’t go as planned, and he was dealt the fortune of being stationed in Germany, where picturesque villages and European life opened his eyes to the whole beautiful world.

While in Germany, Richard and Lynn wrote letters back and forth, strengthened their relationship and became engaged to marry one another.  On a leave visit home to Oklahoma City, Richard and Lynn married in Lynn’s family’s living room before returning to Germany for duty. Richard and Lynn would ultimately move back to Oklahoma, start a family and he would trade the full-time active Army role for one with the 45th Infantry Brigade Division of the Oklahoma National Guard, where he proudly served for 20 years. Professionally he became an EMT for the OKC ambulance companies (AmCare and EMSA).

In addition to taking care of people on his ambulance, he gave his skills and time as a medic to the National Guard, where he achieved the rank of 1st Staff Sergeant. Richard spent his later work years ensuring the security and protection of complete strangers who would become his friends over time as he lightened the mood with jokes as you passed through his stations. You may have encountered him at The Oklahoma History Center and The Oklahoma State Capitol, providing safe passage when working or volunteering his time to provide tours on the weekends. He also spent years working at Gaillardia Country Club.

Richard and Lynn would stitch together a family that continues to grow. He is the son of the late Lester and Jeanette Lloyd. His mother, Jeanette, would later marry the late Floyd Raley after losing her husband, Lester. Those who will feel and fill the void left in his absence are his oldest son, Neil, his wife, Leah, and their two children, Gavyn and Connor; middle child and son, Tim, and his wife, Lisa; and youngest child and only daughter, Holly, and her husband, John, and their son, George. Richard’s sister, Julie, lives in California with her husband, Keith, where they have grown a wonderful extension of the Lloyd family. His cousins Debbie and her husband, Tom, Margaret and son, Jim, meant a great deal to him, as well as all extended family and friends. His multiple cousins, aunts, uncles, parents, living and deceased have many surnames. The Lloyds, Renegars, Mowreys, Forrests, Scotts, Hands, Worcesters, Janssens, Chavez, McGees and Raleys are all families who were his family and contributed a great deal to his life and happiness. There are many other friends and family who contributed to his life, and please know that he loved and appreciated you.

He enjoyed working and attending concerts on weekends. A lover of art, the Oklahoma City and Paseo Arts Festivals were some of his favorite annual events in OKC. He attended multiple churches to ensure his friendships and joke-telling had a large audience.

Richard’s words were that “he was ready to go to heaven” upon his and his family’s choice to utilize hospice and compassionate home care, after previously battling aggressive prostate cancer, which reappeared after 13 years of control and remission. From that point on, we all continued and strengthened our bond, upped our time commitment to family and set out to accomplish Richard’s bucket list. Of all the things we accomplished together as a family, the time spent together was the most important.

His children would like to thank their mother and his wife, Lynn, who not only stood by his side as his wife and partner in life but also as his primary caregiver in his final year. Her love, compassion and nursing skills allowed for the happiest and most comfortable outcome.  In addition, the family would like to thank Dr. Sam Musallam, Mission Hospice and a special thanks to nurses Debbie and Rhonda.

Lynn and her children and immediate family will honor Richard’s final wishes and have a private gathering to celebrate his life. The family asks that you kindly reflect on how you can make others’ struggles lesser, whether that is the telling of a good joke to someone or contributing your time or donations to something you deem worthwhile.

We are thankful for and support Mission Hospice, and all the hospice and compassionate care movements, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Oklahoma City Homeless Alliance. Feel free to make a donation of time or dollars to any of these groups in lieu of flowers, etc.

We will all love and miss Richard while honoring his life through family, community-building and the telling of “dad jokes.”