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September 27, 2012
Richard E. "Rick" Saxton Obituary
Richard Earl Saxton, age 61, March 9, 1951-September 27, 2012.
After a courageous battle with cancer, our beloved brother, Rick, rests in peace, free of pain and earthly cares. Rick was an amazing and caring son, brother, uncle, friend, coworker, neighbor, and mentor. Rick graduated from Scottsdale High School and Arizona State University with a degree in Architecture. He served in the Peace Corps for two years in Benin, West Africa, where he designed schools. When he returned to Arizona, he continued to design schools, and other public service buildings. Rick had many varied interests through the years, from zipping around in road rallies, being a Boy Scout Leader, active in Toastmasters, teaching and mentoring in architecture related organizations such as AIA and CSI, and his honor serving as HOA president of his Idylwilde neighborhood for many years. He also had an affinity for Pontiac Grand Ams. His unique wit and gentle kindness will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved Rick.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jerry and Mary Saxton.
He is survived by his three sisters, Phyllis Mullins, Nancy (Jim) Pennington, Mindy (Dan) Titterington, and brother, Dale Saxton. He also leaves behind, nephews Ryan and Wesley, and nieces, Colette and Kyla. A celebration of Rick's life will be held on October 27, 2012, from noon until 2 p.m. at Idylwilde Park in Phoenix. All who knew Rick are welcome to attend.
Published in The Arizona Republic from October 14 to October 21, 2012
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Don Adams
Rick completely surprised me the last time we met. The location was the isolated Navajo town of Pinon, Ariziona, which the Navajos love to describe as "where the road ends and the wild west begins". That's an appropriate expression since there were no paved streets in the town (honest). 1993 - 1996 saw a lot of building in Pinon, and featured the construction of a new shopping center, chapter house (a combination city hall and community center), public grade school and high school. I was visiting the new Bashas' store (which I supervised) when I saw Rick walking in from the parking lot. He was easy to spot. We were perhaps the only two Anglos there. We greeted each other with smiles and genuine suprise. Rick had designed the new community grade school. So after a chat and a bite to eat we went to take a look at his work. It was so modern, bright and shiny - and Rick was rightly proud of the school he helped build for Navajo and Hopi children. I will never forget the memory of this surreal meeting of two beavers working in a place a very long way from Scottsdale. I treasure it.