VDG Richard is married to his best friend for 39 ½ years, Gail. They have three grown children: Zach, who is 33, married and has 3 children; Shawn, who is 30 and is married and has 1 child; Victoria, who is 20 and is going to college at Boise State, ID.  

Gail and he have raised a leader dog puppy a couple of years ago and are now raising another leader dog puppy. Lion Richard is a Personality/Behavioral Consultant for Concordia Theological Seminary. He has a Doctor of Ministry degree for the position he is in now. 

VDG Richard joined the Chapel Ridge Lions Club in 2008 and became 1st Vice President and the President.  He has also been, the Zone Chair for 3-A during 2010-2011. He has attended Mid Winter, State and International Conventions. He has been a Leader Dog Associate and is now a Leader Dog Trustee. He has been active on school boards and church boards for years.

 
Richard has been a Lion for 25 years in clubs all over the United States.  He started in Leadville, Colorado. From there he was given a position in the United States Air Force as a chaplain and moved to Altus, Oklahoma. He transferred his membership to a noon club there. He was then sent to Germany and was not involved in Lions at that time. When he came back to Tacoma, Washington, he jumped back into it. This time taking on leadership responsibilities and became the President of South East Tacoma Lions Club with a 100% year. This was when he was sent over to England during the 1st Gulf War. He was able to visit a Lions Club in Little Bister, England, a club that met in a tavern and the beer was passed around during the meeting. Then he moved to Wichita Falls, Texas, where he joined another noon club in a small town called the Burkburnett Lions Club. From Texas he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Again, not wanting to join a club overseas he was not active during this time. He did however visit a Japanese Lions Club meeting and it was very different and interesting. VDG Richard then retired from the military to Kent, Washington and joined a noon club in Auburn, Washington. He then took the position he has now at Concordia Theological Seminary here in Fort Wayne.

Vice District Governor Richard Davis and Gail