Richard Herold Kitchens
September 27, 1923 -
February 28, 2009
Funeral will be in Childress, Tx at 10 am Wednesday at the
Childress Church of Christ
Written by Steve Rogers...
(his words were perfect!; some of you couldn't complete the link to "Just a Good Man" - so I just copied it and printed it in this post!
Richard Kitchens, my father-in-law is near death. He has a rare form of bone cancer that in the last few weeks attacked his kidneys, who are now so damaged they are shutting down causing us all to face the mortality of a loved one. A good man is about to leave us.
I feel fortunate, for 12 years Kitchens has been a part of my life, my family. Kitchens was, by all accounts a good business man. A renaissance man of sort, he knew a lot about a lot of different things, he could repair or build just about anything he wanted and do your taxes. He was a talented high school athlete and was the official weather station for Childress, TX, supplying every day weather data to the NWS.
He loves athletics, he was the radio voice of the Childress Bobcats for years. I got to listen to him call a high school basketball game one evening, shortly after Ann and I were married. After listening to the game for a few minutes in the car we went into the gym, sitting across the floor I could watch him perched atop the bleachers calling the game. I did not have to hear his voice, I could see the methodical enthusiasm in his face and his body language. He was good, he loved that job.
He had a kind and giving heart, ask anyone connected with ‘Meals on Wheels”.
He was the master of three, count them three TV’s. Two TV’s each featuring a different sporting event and one constantly monitoring the Weather Channel. There was always a remote handy during bowl games and nights heavy with sports activity, especially college games.
The only weakness I saw in the man was a propensity for exercise gadgetry. He had tread mills, stair steps, things you roll out in front of you promising to give you Charles Atlas Ab’s, he had it all. I think Kitchens was a sucker for a good infomercial.
Kitchens loves his family. And he was kind enough to just drag me and my sons into the mix-no questions asked. I am grateful.
He told Ann, on a drive back to Childress a couple of years ago about a problem he had with his business, White’s, the store he owned in Childress. Ann just thought he was talking or maybe needed to confess a weakness to her. But Kitchens knew I was struggling professionally at the time. I think he just wanted her to know every man stumbles sometimes, he was just adding perspective to our life.
He is the source of the funniest car story I have. I love to share it but it is much more funny in person.
I wish we’d had more time, he and I. There are questions I should have asked, “What was your greatest moment on the basketball court?” What do you want to be when you grow up?” He was a really, really good man. He is loved, he will be missed. God bless you sir.
