Sad news - we've lost another classmate - Rick Davenport has died.

His wife Cheryl (LFHS '68 - nee Kim) wrote "Sadly my husband Garick (Rick ) Davenport has passed away."

When we asked about an obituary, or some info about Rick, she sent the following:

"December 12, 1948 ~ March 29, 2024

There will not be a public funeral service for Rick. The family will have a private service. Rick had an Aortic Heart Valve replacement twice in his life. The first was a Porcine (pig valve) when he was 38 years old. He almost died on the table during that surgery but his surgeon at the AirForce hospital, Wilford Hall, literally ripped his chest open and pumped his heart by hand for about 40 minutes (which was like twice as long as they were supposed to do). He had an ugly scar but he lived. The 2nd surgery years later when the porcine valve was destroyed by his immune system, he received a metal Aortic Valve but then had to be on Coumadin (blood thinner) for the rest of his life which required him to not eat certain things and left him more vulnerable to infection which is what happened. He developed a blood infection which then attacked all of his organs including the brain and just shut him down. But without those surgeries and methods to keep his heart functioning he would have died many years sooner. This time was just too much

I knew him since I was 8 years old, went steady with him at 12 and was 18 when we got married. He went in the Air Force at 20 years old for 27 years and only retired from it at 47 because of restrictions due to his heart valve. We have 2 wonderful, healthy children, Kimberly, born in Lake Forest Hospital, (Kimi, my maiden name was Kim as my Father was Korean and born in Hawaii) which was Rick's first assignment as we were stationed at Hickam AFB where my Grandmother still lived. From there we went to Carswell AFB, TX where Todd was born, then Spangdahlem AFB, Germany, Plattsburgh AFB, NY and then Rick went remote (alone) to Shemya, Alaska in the Aleutian Islands for a year and the kids and I went to stay with my parents. Then we finally got stationed at Eglin AFB and have been here ever since."

From their church, Cheryl included:  "Our dear church member of 28 years, Rick Davenport, has gone to be with Christ in his eternal home on March 29, 2024, at 75 years old. We extend our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time. Let us keep them in our thoughts and prayers as we honor Rick's memory. May he rest in peace and find eternal joy in the presence of God."