Richard Stillson

Captain Richard Arthur Stillson, of Naples, FL, sailed away into heaven on Sunday morning 4-28-13. He went peacefully in his sleep. Richard was born in Youngstown Ohio to Charles and Helen Stillson, March 19, 1941. He has a twin brother David, and an older brother Donald. He graduated from Kent State University in 1964. He married Judy Goodman on Nov. 26, 1964. After Judy Graduated in 1965 he spent 3 years in the Army during Vietnam. He was stationed in Germany. They became civilians after serving and stayed in Europe for a few more years selling life and health insurance. After having 2 children Rhett and Richawn they moved back to the states, settling in Naples FL in 1972. Here Dick opened Stillson’s Sail Away. He loved being a sea captain and sailing out on the water. Taking trips for a week or more to the Dry Tortugas, or anywhere else someone wanted to go was a world of fun and excitement for him. He was always up for the next adventure, and couldn’t wait to see what the seas held for him next. He sailed thru all types of weather, including a hurricane or 2. One time there was a hurricane in the Gulf. As he was returning home from the Tortugas, got caught in the hurricane, he went for his foul-weather gear, and Judy had packed his son’s! What a time to pack the wrong raincoat! He faced the No Name storm with NO rain gear on his body! But he forged thru the storm, and even though he returned 2 days late – he did make it through! When he finally got home, it was the middle of the night, the door was locked and he didn’t have his keys, he knocked on Richawn’s window to get her to open the door. When she looked out he was so caked and crusted in salt she barely recognized him, only his eyes seemed familiar. She went and got her mom to open the door for him! LOL! He loved the sea! This is just one of his many stories. Although he never did ask Judy to pack his foul weather gear again, he was in no way discouraged from sailing! His nickname was the Albatross, because he was wise, capable, and could always get you safely home. After a back injury in the early 80’s halted his sailing fun, he opened the Richard A. Stillson Agency and went back to selling insurance. Illness forced him to retire early in the mid 90’s. But in mid 2000, after Judy retired, Dick and Judy tried their hand at the art of Glass Blowing. They called it Wz gYz Glass Gems (Wise Guys Glass Gems). He loved to go out to his shop and make “Norman the Newt” sculptures, Octopi, Christmas ornaments, marbles, pendants and other fun art. This creative endeavor was huge since he was already in his mid 60’s and had been retired and disabled for years already. He had a “never let them get you down” attitude, and a strong will to live and keep pushing through. Dick was a proud dad. Rhett and Richawn have grown up to be happy, upstanding members of their communities. They have always kept in close contact with their parent and been an integral part of their lives. Dick and Richawn were so close that he was actually Richawn’s birth coach with her first daughter Kya in 1994. Indeed he was the first person who got to hold Kya in this world, and their connection has remained ever so deep since. A few years later Dick was blessed with his next granddaughter Alexiana Silver Lake. 2 years after that his grandson Kinden Sage Arthur was born. Being an attentive, in touch, interactive grandparent was deeply important to Dick. He called and talked to them all the time. Laughing and enjoying hearing stories about what was happening in their lives, and sharing stories about his life with them. And we all KNOW that Captain had a bunch of hilarious stories that also taught us a lesson or two! He sure loved to share those with his children and grandchildren! The fact that Dick was close friends with his son-in-law Ken Cranor, insured that he got to spend lots of great time with his grandkids! It was important and fun for them all to make sure they got together several times a year! Ken helped him to build his glass studio, and taught him and Judy the basics of how to “play” with the glass. For a few good years Dick’s solace from his illness and pain was out in his little shop making fun trinkets of one sort and another! He loved watching Ken’s glass art career grow and even more fun when Dick could talk to him about the ins and outs of how it was done. Dick Stillson was truly one of the kindest, most honest, upstanding men I’ve ever known. In this world of judgment and chaos, Dick was calm, open minded, accepting, willing to listen to all sides of a situation, and one of the least judgmental people I’ve ever known. He was a great practitioner of communication. He believed that communication was the only way to work through things thoroughly and in a way that all could truly understand each other. This is exampled by the fact that he was still in love with, and had a happy marriage with Judy for almost 50 years. Their senses of humor and ability to converse freely and fully allowed them to work through the difficulties of marriage and honestly be happy. I believe his close relationships with his children and grandchildren are a testament to this as well. A friend of his once said “He had a way of directly, intentionally and fearlessly connecting with who he intended to connect with – and he was willing to give his whole self to the exchange.” He believed in following things thru to the end. His kindness and generosity were boundless. He was a dreamer, and luckily for him, oh so many of them came true. He had his family Judy, Rhett and Richawn – which grew into him having a son-in-law he loved as a friend and son, Ken Cranor. Richawn and Ken had Dick’s 3 beautiful grandchildren Kya - 18, Alexiana - 14, and Kinden - 12, who he got to watch grow up to be becoming fantastic young adults. All his children and grandchildren adored him; always looking forward to the next time they would get to see him. His son and daughter deeply admired and respected him. Turning to him for advice and understanding frequently. After putting up a great fight, and rallying several times in the face of seeming doom -- he has succumb to the peace of heaven. As some of you knew, he has been struggling with pain for many years, and he was in some terrible pain these last couple months, and over the last couple weeks the escalation was almost unbearable. Hospice was brought in last week, and at least he had these last few days with relatively no pain. He was always able to laugh his way through everything, even his own pain. It fills my heart to say that he never lost his wonderful sense of humor. He was laughing and joking with many people on the phone on Saturday night, before he went to sleep. Richard, you will be deeply loved and sweetly missed forever. May the winds be at your back. As you would say, Captain “It is not the force of the gale, but the set of the sail, that determines the way we go.”

Richard Stillson

April 28, 2013