Richard Weeks

[Jerry Westcott]

All

I just received a message from Ara. He said on Monday Richard Weeks was killed on his motorcycle on I-25. I don't know anything else right now. He will be missed.

Jerry

[Gene Bray]

Many of those shooting USPSA/IPSC in the Front Range area knew Richard Weeks.  His untimely passing is a shock to us.  Newer shooters in the area probably only saw him as a older man who shot and moved slowly.  If any of you watched, you saw someone who could shoot As and a lot of them.  Some of his skills declined over the years, but not his accuracy.  I’ve know Richard since ~1999-2000.  And, will miss him greatly.

Ara Malijan asked me to send following out to the section.  I think it is a great tribute to a fine man, gentleman, and fellow competitor.

Our good friend and fellow competitor, Richard Weeks was killed Monday doing what he loved best...living. 

He was struck by a pick-up truck on I-25 while probably crossing the interstate to go home and as hard as it is to accept, he was killed instantly and did not suffer. 

On behalf of his wife, DeVona, she wished to convey a heartfelt thanks and appreciation to everyone that had helped him especially the last few years, knowing that he had deteriorated. She understood, as we all did, that if he were compelled to stop driving, competing or riding his motorcycle, it would have destroyed his spirit so she is very thankful for everyone's patience and help getting thru the stages and, therefore, extending his life. 

Richard may have looked like your typical "old man" but outside his napping in the car and in between stages, he captured a spirit we should all have at the age of 81. For those that don't know and would probably never guess, Richard did just about everything. He was an Army veteran, a father, a husband, a retired teacher, a retired truck driver, an avid  motorcycle rider since the age of 13, an oval-track motorcycle racer, a handy-man, an ATV'r, an RV'r, a shooter and a  die-hard competitor since 1994 and I'm proud to say I was able to be a part of getting him started in IPSC, a sport that has enriched all our lives. Over the decades, myself and others from Cheyenne have traveled with Richard all over the country to compete and his personality always added to our eclectic mix. I can't count the number of hours of conversation in the car or at the range. He was always there helping the best he could.  My favorite memory of him was at the 1999 Nationals in Vegas where he had driven in after the rest of us had already arrived and, of course, begun the debauchery. He called my room at a very early 6:30 AM and asked if we were "ready for breakfast" since he had been up driving since 2:00 AM. Well, that began the realization that one of us was missing from our room and as they say, the rest of that story stays in Vegas. 

Most don't know that many decades ago he miraculously survived a terrible semi-truck crash and in 1999 survived a heart attack at a PSAC match. Even before all that, he prevailed in a real-life lethal force encounter. That's right, a real life, no bubble-gum encounter. The starting position was seated in his car with a passenger as the armed robber confronted him. Richard quickly followed the stage briefing by drawing his holstered revolver from between the seat cushions, exiting the driver's side door, moving around the car and from within the shooting area blasting the bandit right smack in the A-zone. No kidding. 

Years ago we helped Richard prepare for what I'm sure he thought was the inevitable. He realized his mind wasn't what it used to be and he should not be hand-loading anymore. He practically gave me his entire re-loading stock to include two Dillon presses and maybe eight quick change kits which now sit in my custom gun room in his memory. He only asked that I load his ammo so that he can continue to compete at the ripe old age of 78. 

You see, to his last moment in life, Richard was in tune with his core desires embedded in our DNA by God Himself, that all men are all explorers at heart and that we require only three things in life: a battle to fight, a beauty to rescue and an adventure to live. 

Richard's Life Commemoration will be held at 1:00PM, Monday, August 8th 2016 at the Cheyenne Baptist Temple, 1621 E. Pershing Blvd, Cheyenne, Wyoming. 

Ara