Richard - By Joyce

Memories of Dad
Richard Austin Gudmundsen
1922 – 2012

By Joyce Richardson

My Dad is the kindest, most patient, strongest, most fit, most handsome, and certainly the most brilliantly intelligent man in the world. I’m sure my brothers and sisters agree with me.



As a little child I remember how fun he was. He got down on the floor and gave us “horsie” rides on his back. He could be very silly and made us laugh. Sometimes on Saturday mornings he would make us pancakes or waffles for breakfast.


When I was five years old, he would play classical pieces on the record player and taught me the names of the pieces as well as the composers. I could name them after hearing just a few notes. I remember on one 4th of July he played patriotic music on the record player as we marched around the room holding little flags. The picture is Dad with Scott, Annette, Mark, and Joyce.



He also played the piano. He had only had a two or three years of lessons but could play beautiful, complicated pieces such as “Clair de lune” and “Rustle of Spring.” As he played, we danced around the room. I have a very early memory of him playing the piano at his parent’s home. I was probably about 5 years old.



Music was very important to him. His family always sang together and they had wonderful voices. When his parents or brother or sister came to visit we would all sing the traditional old songs such as, “I had a Dream, Dear,” or “High Sierra Sweetheart,” all in four-part harmony. Dad composed hauntingly beautiful music for his favorite poem, “The Cherry Tree.”



When I was in Junior High School I had a bad habit of missing the bus. My dad would drive me to school when this happened. Eventually, I didn’t even try to catch the bus and he drove me every day. On the way to school we would sing in parts. This is probably my most precious memory of him, just my Dad and I, together.



Dad was fit and strong. He played tennis every week. Sometime he took us to the local school to play while he played hand ball. In the summers, we went camping in the High Sierras in California, and later at Red Fish Lake in Idaho. We hiked to beautiful streams and lakes where we fished and played in the beautiful mountains. In the evenings we could gather around the campfire to sing as Dad accompanied us on his guitar. On rainy evenings we stayed in the tent and played games such as Rook. Over the years we vacationed in Zion National Park, The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton’s Park. One year, we took our tent trailer on an extended trip to Canada. We also had many little outings to go on picnics, go up to Big Bear to play in the snow, go to the beach, and go to Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm. After my Mom got him a ping pong table for Christmas, Dad and I enjoyed playing that together. We also played shuffle board in the back yard.



Dad was very intelligent. As a young boy he enjoyed experimenting with his Chemistry Set, sometimes with explosive consequences. In school he had been an exceptional student. In one college course, the instructor graded tests on the “curve,” but the teacher had to leave Dad’s scores off the curve to prevent everyone else in the class from getting a failing grade. As a graduate student, he did his doctoral dissertation on “Photoelectric Mixing of Incoherent Light,” an important experiment that helped pave the way for laser technology. The materials from that experiment were eventually housed in the Smithsonian Museum. He worked as a research physicist for Rockwell International and later as a consultant.



As a child I was impressed that I could ask him any question, such as, “Why is the sky blue?” and he could answer and explain so that I understood. A funny memory is Dad writing physics equations on napkins at restaurants. Evidently his mind was on a problem at work. One time he kept the napkin, so he must have solved the problem. Years later I encountered a “Far Side” cartoon that gave us all a laugh.



Sometimes at the dinner table, or in the car on long trips, Dad would tell us stories about history. I especially remember the story about Hannibal and the elephants crossing the mountains. In my high school physics class I got the highest grade in the class because I discussed the lessons with my dad who gave me further insights into what I was learning. After Dad retired, he became a novelist and worked to improve that craft.



He was very supportive of us. In high school I found I was not good at learning Spanish. My dad helped me create a huge, relief map of South America as an extra credit project, and gift for the Spanish teacher, which dramatically improved my grade. In high school biology he bought the extensive equipment I needed for a project raising hamsters.


Dad was kind. He was soft spoken and patient. I only remember him spanking me once. That was because I had “sassed” my mom. After he spanked me he cried and asked my forgiveness. He always had time for us. He expected great things from us but was unconditional in his love.



My dad is my hero. I love him with all my heart and look forward to the time we can all be together again.


This picture is Dad and Mom with Joyce, Annette, and Eileen.