Richard Allen Hummer
A lover from the start, Richard Allen Hummer was born on Valentines Day, February 14th, 1950, in Framington, MA. A little over seventy-five years later, Richard left this earth on April 18th, 2025. He said goodbye in the place he had loved and called home for over fifty-five years–Santa Barbara, CA.
The second oldest of six kids, Richard spent his first ten years in Massachusetts, until his father’s work brought him to Poway, CA, where he first fell in love with the ocean. When Rick was fourteen, the Hummer family made their way up to Lompoc. It was here that Rick really started surfing, scoping out surf spots up and down the central coast with friends who he kept in touch with until the end of his life. It was during these years that Rick surfed Refugio for the first time–his favorite beach, where some of his ashes were spread.
In 1969, Rick was finally free from high school and Lompoc, and made his way down to where the surf was good–Santa Barbara. It was here that he met his wife of 42 years, Louise (who passed away in 2011). Married in 1970, Rick and Louise built a strong life together, united by their love of nature, music, entrepreneurship, and each other. After 18 years together, they welcomed their only child, Caroline, in 1987. As a father, Rick was a fantastic coach, storyteller (friends still remember his “Whisker’s” stories), prankster, and an incredible mentor.
Professionally, Rick started out as a jack of all trades before settling into the entrepreneurship that would carry him through middle age to retirement. After stints as an actor, an Alaskan fisherman, a cab driver, and an attendant at the Devereux School, Rick spent time working in hospitality, moving from dishwashing to serving and managing at classic Santa Barbara restaurants. From there, he saved up money to start a hot tub sales business (Pacific Designs), which eventually led him to Passport Motors, a locally loved used luxury car dealership. In the early 2000s, after a few projects building/remodeling his own homes, Rick embarked into the business of real estate investment, buying, renting, and selling properties in Grass Valley, Kaua’i, and the Central Coast.
After Louise’s passing, Rick met his soon-to-be-wife Donna. There was an instant connection between them, and after a brief courtship they were married, and Rick became a step-father to Donna’s daughter, Lucy. In their marriage, Rick was always up for an adventure. He converted a minivan and an old food truck into sleeper vans for their travels, which they drove around California, the US, and Canada. They expanded their trips via airline to include Africa, New Zealand, and their favorite, the magical land of Japan. The two of them were inseparable through both joys and tribulations. Whatever they encountered there was a complete and natural union, sealed in love and kindness, always with so much goodwill and friendship toward others.
One of the reasons that this obituary has taken so long to write is that it feels impossible to summarize Richard’s life, and his impact on the people who he came into contact with. He was the kind of person who had many different groups of friends, all of whom felt equally loved by and appreciated by him. Whether you spent time with Rick surfing, playing games (he had many opponents in poker, cribbage, backgammon, and dominoes), running across a tennis court, golfing, hiking, kayaking, or running, you felt his talent and passion for whatever he was playing. Rick was one of those guys who seemed to know something about everything, and could give you advice on anything from where to get your transmission fixed to how to grill the perfect steak.
Richard loved fiercely. He loved his family without limit. He spent almost 55 years loving as a husband, first with Louise and then with Donna. He loved his families–blood, in-laws, and others. He loved the ocean and helping people. When he was dying, he said that if he had a headstone it would read “enough is enough”. He of course partially meant this in reference to what he had been going through with his body, but we also see it as a wide lens view of his life. He had lived life to the fullest, and had had it all. Had enough.
Richard is survived by his daughter Caroline, his wife Donna, his step-daughter Lucy, his brothers Bob & Billy, his sisters Mary & Anne, his brothers and sisters in law, nieces, nephews, and the many friends who called him “brother”.
