Richard's Obit

 

Richard Rust Thetford

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Richard Rust Thetford, a truly badass dragon slayer, died at home in Savannah, Georgia, on Monday, July 10, 2023. In his 65 years of exasperating everyone in sight, he also became the person you turned to first for help, comfort, and a smile to make the day better. He was a friend to everyone—except jerks. He definitely had a problem with jerks.

Richard was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, November 27, 1957. From all accounts he had pretty much a traditional boyhood of falling off bicycles, slicing his hands as he showed off with knives, and doing stupid things to impress girls. It was only later in high school that he discovered his cool side. Soon, he was sharing his amazing talents by reciting, singing, and acting all the Monty Python skits, especially “Ministry of Silly Walks,” “The Lumberjack Song,” and “Spam.” Turns out that he really did have a wonderful voice, which he put to use in the Biloxi High School Choir and quickly found that it was a much better way to impress girls than doing stupid things. By the time he became a Senior he was beyond cool and loved to push boundaries. For instance, he had become bored taking notes in Honors English, so he decided to make things interesting by writing them in three different languages—one page in English, the next page in German, and the third page in Elvish (from The Hobbit). When challenged by the teacher, he delightedly stood in front of the class and read the notes flawlessly—with a big smirk, naturally.

With a strong belief in giving back, Richard then joined the Biloxi Police Department as an officer. Over the next 5 years he helped the good guys, caught the bad guys, was shot at and shot, beaten on and beaten up. He loved every minute of it and would have stayed, but the US Army pulled a Don Corleone on him and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse—flying helicopters all over the world as a Warrant Officer. And so, for 23 years he served in parts of the world (Korea, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Japan) and the US (Alabama. Washington, Hawaii, Texas, Georgia) once again helping the good guys, catching the bad guys, getting shot and shooting back (but not getting beaten on or getting beaten up, thank goodness). All this time, his talent for coolness stayed with him, especially when there was no mission to complete. As one of his commanders said, there was no one he would rather have next to him in combat but Richard . . . but Richard in peacetime was a totally different story.

After retiring he spent a year in Texas as a contractor with an aviation corporation. When that proved to be okay but a little too bland for him, he came back to Georgia. There, he began working for the Department of Defense at Wright Army Airfield, a place where his incredible institutional, experiential, and technical knowledge helped grow the airfield into one of the Army’s best. He often said it was the perfect job for him—hanging out with the aviation community, being the go-to guy to get things done, occasionally telling people what to do, and getting to smell jet fuel fumes.

Among Richard’s many accomplishments (and what totally cool guy doesn’t have many accomplishments) were having a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Chaminade University of Honolulu, doing graduate work at Boston University, writing music, playing the guitar, being a competition shooter, and knowing all the words to Arlo Guthrie’s “Alice’s Restaurant” (which Richard made into a Thanksgiving tradition for everyone within earshot by reciting it along with Arlo as a local radio station played the entire half-hour record). He also frequently said he was “bulletproof and invulnerable,” a fact that he proved one New Years Eve in Savannah. He and his other half were standing in a parking lot enjoying the fireworks and celebratory gunfire when a spent bullet came whizzing across the asphalt and hit him mildly in the butt (or butt-tocks, as they say in Forrest Gump). He immediately scooped up the bullet and proudly showed it to her, saying, “See! Proof positive that I’m bulletproof!”

Another way Richard served his fellow man was through membership in Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. As a member of Clinton Lodge 54 (Savannah), he enjoyed the sense of purpose that came from working with like-minded men who believe in helping others. Serving as the Worshipful Master for Clinton Lodge three times, he was especially proud of the fundraising efforts by the Lodge to help Shriners Hospitals.

Richard was preceded in death by his father, W. Hugh Thetford; his mother, Janice Crews Thetford; his father-in-law, James Hamilton Hoit, Jr.; and his mother-in-law, Geraldine Gardner Hoit.

He is survived by his wife Betsy Hoit-Thetford, his soulmate of 43 years; son, James Campbell; granddaughter, Natasha Takahashi; brother, Phillip (Mary) Thetford; four nieces, Geneva (Logan) Puryear, Carol (Sam) Moretz, Jenny (Wes) Reed; April (Nito) Ramirez; uncle, Jack Thetford; brother-in-law, James H. Hoit III; and sister-in-law, Linda Peters Hoit. He is also survived by a host of furbabies, most notably R.C. D’Cat.

Richard will be buried at Mountain Home National Cemetery in Tennessee at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. A graveside service will include the Masonic ritual and full military honors. Arrangements are being handled by Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors (Savannah, Georgia) and Appalachian Funeral Home (Johnson City, Tennessee). A Celebration of Life is planned in Savannah for a later date.

Please pause for a moment on Tuesday and send a bit of love to help this good man on his way. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Shriners Hospital in Richard’s name.

Posted online on July 13, 2023

Published in Savannah Morning News