12/11/22 (Rich Kirtland) and 4/12/23 (Bobbi Thayer Kirtland). There are no life stories we enjoy more than one about a Class of ’65 member who is married to another, and there are only a few of those couples in our class. But that means we doubly grieve for a classmate when one of those spouses’ lives ends too soon, as Rich’s did in December. We couldn't have imagined that we would learn of Bobbi’s own sudden passing just a few months later in April.
In February, I asked Bobbi to tell us about their life together. Here’s what she wrote:
“We started going steady on February 22 in 1963. After graduation, Rich went to Eastern, and I to Michigan State. Everybody said high school romances didn’t work out…they were wrong! We got married in 1968.
In 1969, we got involved in a franchise named Stretch & Sew. We ended up owning five stores in three different states.
After 8 years of trying, we finally got pregnant, but that ended in a miscarriage. We were both so distraught, we sold the businesses and moved from Ann Arbor to Mobile Alabama, where we knew no one.
Rich got into the life & disability insurance business there, and I eventually became a stay-at-home Mom with 3 children, Bill, Jenni and Andy. Insurance took us to New Orleans (a WONDERFUL town, but no place to raise kids), so we moved to St. Louis, followed by Cincinnati, where Rich ended up as an insurance executive with Ohio National. When the kids were older, I found my niche, selling new homes for a regional builder.
Our 3 children all still live in the Cincinnati area, but Rich and I retired to The Villages, Florida, in 2012, where we have enjoyed playing golf, swimming in our own pool, entertaining our 7 grandchildren when they visit, and thoroughly enjoying life in Florida’s 'Disney for Adults' community.”
On hearing the news about Rich, other class members shared their remembrances of him. Many echoed Pamela Conn Hyde’s words, “Rich was one of the nicest guys I ever met.” Patty Schneider Mannor: “ One of the BEST guys I’ve ever had the pleasure to know.” Some knew Rich and Bobbi well from our school days, such as Susan Magid Bergin who told Bobbi, “He was so crazy about you from Day 1.”
Bobbi sent a last photo taken of Rich, snoozing blissfully in their pool on a sunny November day, and wrote, "Rich truly loved life, and he lived it to the fullest. Some of it was action-packed. And, as you can see, some of it was totally at ease!"
Only a few months later, we received the news about Bobbi, and her children wrote this tribute to their mom:
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of our mom, Bobbi. She passed away peacefully on April 12 with the support of family around her. We are truly heartbroken by this sudden loss, but we take comfort in knowing she is now at peace… and back with our dad, who she’s missed so much these past few months.
Mom touched so many lives with her infectious smile, positive attitude, and generous hospitality. She’ll be missed by everyone who called her a friend. She wouldn’t want tears, but rather for us to say “Cheers” to the countless great times and moments she shared with all of us.
So….”Cheers, Mom. We are so grateful for everything you did for us and we love you!”
Bonnie Holzhauer Bean was pals with Rich from Slauson days and told anecdotes about hanging out with Rich and Bobbi in high school and college with classmates Pete and Barb (Kendall) Souza (another couple from our class), Pamela Conn Hyde, Jim McLaughlin, and Terry Juntunen, and about their memorably fun wedding reception. She summed up their life together by saying, “Bobbi and Richard were devoted to each other.”
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