RICHARD "RICK" LEE SHOUP, JR., born March 17, 1961 in Houston, departed this life March 4, 2005. Rick graduated from Westbury High School, Houston, in 1979. He attended the U of H and HBU and was previously employed by Camco, HL&P, Tenneco and Enron.

Left to cherish his memory are his father, Richard Lee Shoup, Sr., of Houston; mother, Grace Bertsch Shoup and dear companion John Trimm, Sr. of Houston; sister, Gwen Shoup Sommerville of St. Louis; brother, Stephen Shoup of Austin and nieces and nephews, Kristin and Blake Sommerville and Nicole and Joshua Shoup.

Other survivors include uncles and aunts, Roy and Jean Bertsch Ueckert of Houston and Wayne and Lea Bertsch of Houston and Austin; six cousins and numerous other relatives and friends. Rick is predeceased by maternal grandparents, Ozie and Staffie Bertsch and paternal grandparents, Theron and Mattie Lee Shoup.

A memorial service will be held 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 12, 2005 at Heights Funeral Home with Dr. Jerry Conner officiating. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Multiple Sclerosis Society would be appreciated.

(Originally published in the Houston Chronicle, Thursday, March 10, 2005)