Captain Richard Joseph Barbosa's Obituary
Richard Joseph (Dick) Barbosa ws born December 8, 1929 to James and Ruth Barbosa and passed away March 7, 2015, at Walnut Creek Assisted Living and Memory Care. From the time he was a child, aviation fascinated him. He began building model airplanes; a hobby which continued throughout his whole life. He. graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1945. He was a graduate of Arlington State College with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He finished first in his class at the Air Force Training Facility in Florida. During this time he married Nancy Kemp Barbosa on May 26, 1950 and started his family of four children, Richard, Linda and two children who predeceased him; David and Jimmy. He also lost his wife Nancy on April 20, 1996. Richard was a pilots pilot! He was a Captain with United Airlines for thirty-five years. Captain Barbosa was one of the first United Airlines pilot selected to go to London England to learn how to fly the new “Caravelle” jet liner. On his return to Denver he taught other pilots how to fly this new air craft. He was a “Master Builder” of radio-controlled airplanes. Richard was a contributing editor to RC Modelers Magazine. In fact, Midwest Modelers would send him kits to assemble and then critique them. Richard was the first to create a “twin stick” in RC Modeling. Previously, in a two engine aircraft if one engine failed, it would crash immediately. Richard designed a new process whereby if one engine failed the plane would stabilize and not crash. Midwest Modelers were so impressed with Richard’s finished product after test-flying it that they produced a kit from it. Richard and Betty Landress were married on August 17, 1998 at Herbert Glacier in Alaska. He is survived by Betty Barbosa; his brother, Phillip Barbosa; Betty’s three daughters, Laura, Linda and Sharon. He had ten grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. He was an avid outdoorsman and donated to all types of environmental causes dedicated to preserving the planet. Richard and Betty were avid bird watchers. Enjoying all manner of birds, especially the humming birds in their backyard. When Richard was based in Denver, he took up snow skiing. When living in Florida, he became an avid fisherman. Proudly displaying his prize catches mounted in his home. For flycasting, he fashioned his own flies. Richard was a great photographer, following in his father’s footsteps who was an award winning photographer. Over the years, Richard amassed many hundreds of aircraft photos taken at the air shows he attended. Always going back to his first love, Richard owned and flew a Cessna as well as an acrobatic plane. He supported many aviation organizations such as the Commemorative Air Force and Frontiers of Flight Museum, etc. Even though he was an outdoors man, he went indoors long enough to win first place ribbons for his oatmeal raisin cookies at the local fair. Richard truly was a “Man For All Seasons”. The funeral service for Richard Barbosa will be held at 2:30 PM Saturday, March 28, 2015 in The Memorial Chapel at Restland Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Love Field. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, at Restland Road, Dallas, TX 75238
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