Farewell to a legend

Rachel Townsend is General Manager/ Managing Editor of the State Gazette

The first time I laid eyes on Richard Hill, he was sitting in the cafeteria at Dyersburg Fabrics. a.k.a. “the Cotton Mill”. He was dressed in a red Santa suit and taking Christmas lists from all the children of the Mill workers. I was about five years old. I had no idea then how he would come to shape my life in my adult years. It was the first of what would become many encounters with him over the years of my life.

Mr. Richard was one of the most humble people I ever met. He never met a stranger and had a heart big enough to blanket our entire community. Every day, I would see him driving around town, usually on the Square,—running the roads in his red van, jumping from one event to another. Supporting all of the goodness brewing in our community was important to him. He understood the value of our local programs, our charities, and the hard work put in by volunteers to help make Dyer County lives just a little bit better.

It was important to him that everyone else knew how important they were too.

That’s one of the first things I came to admire about him. It didn’t matter how big or small a part you had to play, he always made you feel like you were the most important person in the room. Mr. Richard was one of the first political figures I ever truly came to know, and he broke all the stereotypes of what one would expect from a man of his standing. He was a voice for the everyday worker and never had a personal agenda aside from doing everything in his power to make our community stronger. He was led by honesty and sensibility.

At the State Gazette, we always welcomed visits from Mr. Richard. He always greeted us with big hugs and a friendly word. We appreciated hearing his stories—stories of life, his years as mayor, his family, and his service during the Korean War.

Some of the stories he shared were beautiful, while others were heartbreaking; each played a vital part in the person he was. His influence and leadership were essential in creating some of our community’s most valued events, like the Veterans Day Parade, Veterans Luncheon, and the Memorial Day Ceremony.

I still recall one day, years ago, my family was out eating at a local restaurant when the server came to us and said, “Your bill has been paid in full by the nice man sitting in the back.” We turned around to see Mr. Richard and Mrs. Hester sitting there—smiles on their faces—both waving to us. And that’s just the kind of person he was. He would give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. His generosity knew no end.

Today, as our community mourns the loss of Mr. Richard, I am holding tight to all those long conversations, passing waves, big hugs, and good stories. I will never forget the man who sat at Dyersburg Fabrics all those years ago welcoming me and my brother at the guard shack with candy each morning before my mom’s shift ended and we got carried off to school at Jennie Bell, or the man in the red Santa suit who collected my Christmas list every year. I will never forget the tremendous impact he had on my life, the lives of so many others, and the community I love and call home.

Until we meet again, Mr. Richard. I’ll see you on the Square.