Richard Thomas Hart Jr.'s Obituary
Richard Thomas Hart was born January 3, 1927 in Nevada, Missouri, and passed away January 5, 2022 in Garland, Texas. He was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years Barbara Hart, who passed away in 2018. Richard is survived by his two sons, Steve and Jeff Hart, his daughter-in-law Michelle Hart and granddaughter Kayley Hart.
Richard grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, experiencing the Great Depression in the first six years of his life. From an early age he displayed a special talent for drawing and painting, which was later useful when he worked as a draftsman. Richard graduated from Tulsa’s Central High School in 1944. He was keenly interested in sailing and tried to enlist in the Navy during World War II. However, he was not accepted due to color blindness and instead enlisted in the Army. His active duty involved service in the Philippines in the immediate aftermath of Japan’s surrender to the Allies.
Richard attended Oklahoma A&M University with the help of the GI Bill. He studied mechanical engineering, which became his lifelong profession. He married Barbara Beaty on December 22, 1949. Richard worked at Frank Wheatley Industries, Century Electronics, Midwestern Instruments and Precision Products in Tulsa from 1949 to 1964. He also served on the Board of Deacons at Second Presbyterian Church in Tulsa.
Richard, along with his wife and two sons, moved to Dallas, Texas in 1964 and then to Garland, Texas a year later. Over the next 35 years Richard worked for Pollock Paper Company, Recognition Equipment, Science Associates and Varo. His expertise was instrumental in the development of some of the first electronic calculators, night-vision goggles and flip-dot displays. Numerous patented products were direct results of his design work.
For much of his adult life Richard was an avid golfer. Right up to his last days one of his favorite activities was watching Golf Channel. He learned to play the organ when he was more than 70 years old, and enjoyed reading and doing crossword puzzles. But most important of all, Richard was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. A special memory of his family is the many pictures he drew for his granddaughter Kayley when she was a child. Richard was loved and will be missed greatly by his family and all who knew him. May he rest in peace.
A Service for Richard Thomas Hart Jr. will be Friday, January 21, 2022 at 10:00 AM in the Abbey Chapel at Restland Funeral Home.
Funeral arrangements for Richard Thomas Hart Jr. have been faithfully entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery, which is located at 13005 Greenville Ave., at the intersection of Restland Road, Dallas, Texas 75243, and can be reached at (972) 238-7111.
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