Richard Jack Vincent Sr.
Richard Vincent Sr. Obituary
Our beloved father and husband Richard Jack Vincent Sr., 74, went to be with the Lord on
Tuesday, November 19, 2024, after a brief illness.
Richard was born on June 6, 1950, in Madison, Wisconsin, to James Garfield Vincent and Goldie
Catherine Vincent. The second youngest of six children Rick weighed only two pounds, 14
ounces at birth.
Rick joined the U.S. Army at the tender age of 17 and served proudly during the Vietnam War.
During his time in the Army, Rick earned the National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal,
and the Marksman Badge. He was recognized as the best gunner in the Battalion in Tanks and
the fastest loader in the Battalion. It was while stationed at Fort Sheridan, Ill., that he met the
love of his life, Irene Evangeline Lopez, and married her after courting her for only three
months. Their love endured and Rick and Irene were married for 54 years.
Rick settled in Napa, California, and worked as a journeyman welder at the Mare Island Naval
Shipyard for approximately 10 years, before he challenged himself to complete a second
apprenticeship to become a heavy equipment mechanic. Upon the closing of Mare Island, he
was transferred to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he became certified scuba diver. He was
then transferred to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington.
Rick’s weekends were devoted to his family and he enjoyed working with his hands, building
structures, and using his creativity to customize his home. He had a strong work ethic and it
was through his efforts, and the help of his three children, that Rick created an oasis in his
backyard, which included horse shoe pits, a pool room, pin ball machine, foosball table,
basketball court, and a fish pond. Richard and Irene would host countless backyard barbecues,
birthday parties, graduation ceremonies and just about every other family event or gathering
you can think of.
Rick enjoyed spending time on the water in his boat and loved the outdoors. He often took his
family on camping trips and loved spending time at Rollins Lake, where he enjoyed water skiing,
tubing, and spending quality time round the campfire. Rick looked forward to trips to Reno with
Irene, and enjoyed a friendly game of poker, dominoes, and cribbage.
Rick is survived by his wife, Irene E. Vincent; son Richard J. Vincent Jr. and his wife Paula;
daughter Crystal Villatoro and her husband, Carlos; daughter Pauline Vincent; grandchildren
Richard J. Vincent III, Olivia C. Villatoro, Ceceli E. Villatoro, Gabriel S. Graham, and Edwin G.
Vincent; brother Edward J. Vincent and his wife, Becky; sister Sharron Farwell; sisters-in-law
Roberta Lopez, Pauline Warren, Maxine Lopez, and Beatrice Salinas; and brother-in-law
Salvador Lopez and his wife, Peggy; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents James Garfield Vincent and Goldie Catherine Vincent;
siblings Patricia Schreiber and her husband, Donnie; sister Rose Bowdish and her husband, Phil;
brother Robert Vincent; brother-in-law Allen Farwell; father-in-law Robert Lopez; mother-in-law
Bertha Lopez; sister-in-law Isabel Curd; and brother-in-law Hector Salinas.
Services for Rick are scheduled for Friday, Dec. 13, at Tulocay Funeral Home in Napa, with a
viewing to be held 9-9:45 a.m. and the funeral service at 10 a.m. A burial service will be held
after at Sacramento National Veterans Museum, 5810 Midway Road, Dixon, at 12:30 p.m.
promptly. Reception to follow at 160 W A Street, Dixon.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Richard Jack Vincent Sr., please visit our floral store.