Richard D. Pena
Richard D. Pena, 76 of Ventura, passed away Saturday July 9th 2022 after a brief battle with cancer. Richard was born April 11, 1949 in Santa Barbara, Ca to his parents Rudolph and Carmen Pena. He was a resident of Ventura for 42 years where he retired from Oxnard Lemon as a Master Mechanic in 2008.
Being raised in Stow Ranch, Goleta CA, Richard was always a free spirit, and he lived the free spirit life as he saw it. Up until his final moments he encompassed life to its fullest. Being raised on the ranch gave him the opportunity to experience everything life offered to him, climbing trees, fording streams, fishing, hunting, riding horses, home pole vaulting, making and flying kites, and building soap box cars from old bicycles. In school, he participated in all sports. He loved playing football, baseball, basketball, trampoline. In his younger years he rode his bicycle to the Goleta Boys club every day which was about 3 to 4 miles away. While in the Boys Club was a member of their Drum Corp and marched in several parades.
As a young adult, he loved cars and racing. He ran in several drag race competitions and won several races. He always kept his vehicles in pristine condition. He loved to surf out at Goleta beach. He also took on roller skating and participated in figure, dance and racing competitions where he met and married his skating partner, Margie. Richard was going to the state finals for Dance Skating but was drafted into the Army shortly after. Richard served in the Army for 11 years from 1968-1979 doing two tours in Vietnam where he was injured and received the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star and numerous other commendations. He also served on Germany operating tanks, He was very proud of the time he served his country.
Richard moved to Ventura in 1980 with his wife Charlotte “Charlie” Pena and where he lived the remainder of his years. During these years he loved to coach his son’s soccer teams and even brought he son Rick’s team to the championship and won in his final year with AYSO. Richard also thoroughly enjoyed rebuilding Alan’s Camaro with him when Alan was in high school. He loved oldies music like Earth, Wind & Fire which he sang and danced to enthusiastically and his daughter Kerryanne will always have fond memories of that. Richard also loved to cook, and he was goo at it. You would often see him taking pictures and swapping recipes with his daughter Trina. He became an avid bowler, making Buena Lanes his home away from home. He was well liked around the bowling alley and until the last day of his life, he was wanting to bowl a 300 game, but it eluded him for years. However, he did have several 299 games. What Richard loved the most in life though was spending time with family who he adored until his final days.
Richard is survived by his loving wife of 43 years Charlotte “Charlie” Pena of Ventura, daughters Kerryanne (Matt) of Newbury Park, Trina (Todd) of San Pedro, sons Rick and Alan of Ventura, Mother Carmen of Santa Barbara, sisters Anne of Huntington Beach, Suzie and Rosanne both of Santa Barbara. He is preceded in death by his father Rudolph Pena Sr., is loving daughter Pam Pena and his brothers Rudy and Jimmy Pena, along with many grandkids, nieces, nephews and friends who all love and miss him dearly.
A celebration of life for Richard will be held on Friday August 26, 2022 at 1p at the Reardon Funeral Home, 511 North A St. Oxnard.
Richard has been entrusted to the care of the Family Owned and Operated Reardon Funeral Home, www.reardonfh.com.