Although, life is complex it's the simplest lessons we learn that make it far better. Though we usually don't notice what someone is teaching us until after they've gone, or we've grown. We're learning with every step and every breath in life. Some of the smallest things we learn, we don't notice. Yet there's a person not even two feet away from us that hasn't learned that lesson yet.

Growing up, we learn how to laugh, and what we enjoy most. Yet, we don't know that we're learning until years later. But sometimes it takes a parent, or a friend to teach us how to have fun; or how to enjoy life's simplest treasures.

As a child your parents teach you what's right and wrong. They teach you what is respectable, and what is punishable; they say, "yes," and they say, "No," But what else do they teach you that you don't even notice?

Richard Wilcox taught his two children Aaron and Ariana to have fun, and enjoy themselves. He wrestled and played with them, took them for runs, and Friday night movies at home. He was everything two young children could look for in a father, he was everything a mother could look for in a son.

"My dad loved to run, even in the winter when I didn't want him to," Aaron said, "growing up he'd always wrestle with me, and sometimes he'd even take Emmet, Caleb, Ariana and I out for a run in this small car thingy we had."
"Well, my dad like to keep in shape," Ariana stated, "So everyday he would take a run outside. It didn't really matter what the weather was like, he would go out for a run. So when we were younger we had this two seated stroller thingy, and so when it was nice outside he would take us in the stroller and go for really long runs. It was fun because we weren't doing anything...and he was getting his workout in."

Sometimes the best lessons in life come from the best memories. Even though we'd enjoy having a little alert always going off when we've learned a new lesson. Sometimes it takes a while to realize that we've learned something.

Like, when Aaron and Ariana would go for runs with their father. They weren't just going out for runs, and spending time with him. They were learning how to enjoy life, even if it took a while to learn.

"The best memory I have is of when we would always have wrestling fights and he would tickle me to death and it was just really fun. So I guess he taught me how to have fun, and laugh until it hurts...a lot" Ariana smiled.

"The best memory I have is of when he was younger and would always forget his lunch or his jock strap and Kelly would take it to him," Pat, Richard's mother said remembering her beloved son.

"My best memory is when we'd spend Friday nights on the couch with popcorn, orange juice and a movie. That was always fun. We'd laugh and tell jokes forever, and it was just a good time." Aaron said looking back at some of his favorite memories of his father, and his best friend.

Sometimes we learn things after a beloved father, husband, son, friend and hero is gone. We learn that he cared, and he was always there; even after his death. Richard showed us that; he taught his children how to laugh and how to have fun. He taught them that life is short and you'll never know when the end is coming, so live it to the fullest and never stop laughing at a good joke.


Richard Wilcox


A father, a son, a husband, a friend, and a hero


"He seems nothing less than a hero, and nothing less than a friend to his children."



R.I.P

"In memory of a father, a son, a husband, a friend and a hero; Richard Wilcox"