David Wallace Richards (11/29/1935 – 3/11/2010), Professor of Mathematics and long time resident of Crosby Texas, passed away on March 11, 2010 in Humble Texas after fighting a long and difficult battle with Parkinson’s disease. David was born in Hatfield Arkansas in 1935. He graduated from Hatfield High School in 1953 and thereafter obtained his bachelor of arts in mathematics from Harding University in 1957. David obtained his Masters of Education at Sam Houston State University in 1965 and he completed 36 hours of advanced mathematics and education above his Masters at University of Houston. David taught mathematics at Dexter High School in Missouri and at Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown Texas. In 1965, David was hired by San Jacinto College to teach mathematics. While teaching at Central campus in Pasadena, David followed an opportunity to teach mathematics and serve as the department chair of the newly completed North campus in Houston. In a career that spanned over 27 years with all three campuses, David taught at South campus until his retirement in 1992. Although Parkinson’s Disease ended his teaching career, never once a harsh word to darken his bright, gentle, and optimistic spirit. The funeral service was held at 10am at Sterling-White in Highlands Texas; Pastor Richard George officiated the service with speakers Dr. Jerry Tate and myself.
It was near the end of his teaching career that I had the great fortune of becoming one of David’s many students. David had an undeniably commanding presence in the classroom; tall with large hands, a strong voice, energetic, and athletic (he played and coached basketball for years), at once intimidating but yet entirely reassuring: David was a master at the art of teaching mathematics. I was immediately drawn to David’s work ethic, his experience, and the knowledge he had acquired during so many years in the teaching field. It was during this time, over many an afternoon lunch in his office, that a personal and lifelong friendship began. David set me on a path that very few travel, and yet his inspiration gave me confidence: he renewed a sense of direction, meaning, and purpose to my life. David was always the model of professionalism: friendly, caring and well-dressed. His office door was always open; he would stop at any time to help a student anywhere – hallway, lab, or office – with a tremendous patience and an almost divine capacity to penetrate abstract and obscure topics. Hearing this man lecture mathematics will always remain one of the greatest treasures of my academic life. David knew that education was more than a means to an end; that the search for truth is not a destination but a journey forever in motion.
I would like to thank David’s entire family for sharing their memories of him and for asking me to speak on behalf of such a great man; the experience was one of great honor and deeply humbling. It is my hope that this tribute will serve as a living memorial to the hero whose life, courage, and career continue to inspire me to become a teacher, to think, to learn, and to elevate my consciousness to a higher place. Of the thousands of students who took courses from David, indeed, we were the fortunate ones: for when David spoke, we listened; and when David taught, we learned.
Note: please contact me if any of the links on this page are broken or do not function properly.
open sets 