Obituary of Richard Rector

Richard (Dick) Rector passed away peacefully at home to be with his Lord at the age of 93. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Sue Carleton Rector; son, Rick and wife, Judy; granddaughters, Rachel, Abigail and Madeline Rector; and daughter, Sky and husband, Rev. Reid Ferguson.Dick had lifelong friends going all the way back to Lilly B. Clayton Elementary School, McLean Junior High and Paschal High School. He was a graduate of New Mexico Military Institute and Texas Tech University. He truly made his role as husband and father his top priority. He always told Sue that she was “only” limited to everything he owned and encouraged the kids (and their friends) to get whatever they wanted when he took them out to eat, which was often. Words of love and gratitude were always on his lips even during the his last years while dealing with chronic pain.Richard was a natural leader starting as president of his fraternity at Paschal. After graduating from junior college at New Mexico Military Institute (where he spent two years plotting his escape) he attended Texas Tech. He was always the favorite Master of Ceremonies for his fraternity at Tech because of his quick wit. He proposed to Sue in the spring of their senior year after receiving his commission to serve in the Korean conflict and they were married in 1951. She was the love of his life but he often teased her with the quip that he was really just trying to start an argument when he proposed so suddenly. She always said, “He’s my funny pessimist who set me free .” He earned a Bronze Star for his service as a Tank Commander in Korea.Dick was a humble and tenderhearted man. After returning from the war he went to work for his father at Rector Well Equipment Co. His father, Lawrence L. Rector, went out of his way not to show him any favoritism. When Dick inherited the company he would not move into the President’s office or use his special parking space. His loyal secretary finally made the move for him. Despite having dyslexia before it was understood, he became a licensed pilot and real estate agent. He always rejoiced with others and focused on their accomplishments rather than calling attention to his own. He let Rick and Sky have numerous pets including a monkey, toucan, skunk and numerous other fury or feathered friends. One of Sky’s earliest memories was of overhearing her mom call the movie theater to find out if Old Yeller died because she knew Richard – not the kids – would get so upset.Richard and Sue were also very active at McKinney Bible Church where Richard had his “hamburger ministry” teaching kids to water ski almost every weekend at the family lake place. Through this ministry for Young Life hundreds if not 1000’s of kids experienced the love of Christ and heard the Gospel for the first time. Perhaps the most common remembrance which friends voiced after his passing was how Dick made them feel immediately and fully accepted into the family. He wasn’t a theologically savvy man in the academic sense, but he responded with childlike faith to Biblical truth when he heard it.