D. W. Henriquez
I have always been close to all my Uncle's; and Richard (and Antonette) were by far the closest. My Dad and Richard seemed to be best friends. Richard was always that way; he always made you feel as he is a best friend. Tough love may have been part of his mentality, but a kind word he always had for you. Richard and Antie always showed how much they cared about you and as Antie continues to this day. Richard was a man's man....a self-made man. His words were true to his heart and sometimes too direct for the young. We talked often, even when I moved from City to City across America. It was always a phone call, just to see how we were doing. In the past 30 years, we talked many times a year and through the last 20 years, it was much more often, many times monthly; just to talk and see how the Families were doing, both ways. Richard and Antie shared their lives of raising 3 boys, and we shared our lives of raising 3 boys. My Wife and I were really fortunate to have those empathies and histories from outside give us input direction on growing a family with 3 boys. I always consulted my parents and Uncle Richard and Antie. Our phone calls were always about the Families: Kenneth, Steve, and Wayne and their Wives, Kids, and Grandkids; always. They asked the same of us, that is talk about our family. Richard and Antie always gave me and my Family time which we always translated as love. As time moved forward, less talk was about his kids, and more about the Grandchildren; and again as time moved on it was Grandchildren and their Children.
He was proud of everyone in his Family without question, and it was obvious they were connected to all of them. We laughed and cried together. The tears were usually from too much laughter.
We lived in Lakeland, Dallas, Austin, Houston, Cedar Park, and Knoxville; Richard and Antie visited us in our homes each time we moved. They came and spent a week at the Beach with us in Texas, along with my Parents, and my best friends. We had a truly great time together. It all started with Bill and Richard being good friends and Brothers. I, I mean my family, was just lucky to spend good quality time with Richard and Antonette. Time equals Love. Thank you Richard and Antonette.
