LENNON, Richard John's Obituary
Richard John Lennon
04-02-1935 - 02-13-2025
Richard Lennon also known as “Dancer”, “Dick”, “RJ”, and “CK”, will be remembered as an
intelligent, kind, and talented gentleman. He loved to dance and referred to life as a dance.
From a young age, he demonstrated a strong sense of ethics. His favorite movies when he was
growing up in Rochester, New York, reflected this. The movie, “Pinocchio” taught him about the
virtue of honesty. He learned about showing tolerance for all people from the movie, “The Boy
with Green Hair.”
Since he went to Thomas Aquinas School for Boys, he went to dances to meet girls. But he
didn’t know how to dance so his sister, Joan, became his dance instructor.
She used three Good Housekeeping Magazines as a teaching aide. She placed two of the
magazines on the floor and she rolled up a third one. If he stepped on either magazine on the
floor, she bopped him on the head with the third magazine. Her creative teaching method
helped him to become a skilled dancer.
When his family moved to San Diego, his classmates at Chula Vista High School gave him the
nickname Dancer. After high school he studied accounting at Woodbury University in Los
Angeles. His education came to a pause when the Korean War broke out and he was drafted
into the U.S. Army.
Richard had great eye hand coordination and became a “hot shot” serving as an instructor to
Headquarters, Headquarters of the Third Army Brigade in Columbus, Georgia. He shot targets
(not people) in competitions. He tended bar at night and boxed in his free time. He loved
receiving complimentary steak dinners on Wednesday nights after winning a match.
With an honorable discharge and a desire to spread his wings, he left the army and returned to
San Diego. Thanks to the GI Bill, he enrolled at San Diego State. He majored in math until he
attended a speech class taught by Dr. Adams. Because Dr. Adams recognized Richard’s potential
as an actor, he convinced him to audition for a play. Richard was chosen for the role and quickly
changed his major from math to speech with a minor in theatre. He played the role of Uncle
Leo in Little Foxes. He directed Amal and the Night Visitor and he acted in many other plays and
operated the lighting.
He spent a lot of time in the San Diego State cafeteria watching the girls. It was there when he
met Sondra Noel. She was 18 at the time. They were married and had three children.
After college, as a newlywed with a child, he found a job at San Diego Gas & Electric. He started
in personnel and was quickly promoted to Employment Director. Richard created the college
recruitment program of engineers where he traveled to colleges for in person interviews. Many
of the people who he hired became CEO ‘s at the company.
While he was responsible for hiring and firing he used to say that he didn’t fire anyone, they
fired themselves.
His supervisor saw his potential and encouraged him to attend law school. Richard worked fulltime and attended Thomas Jefferson Law School at night. His sleep suffered but he loved law
school and he was promoted to Labor Relations Director. He liked to brag that he was in labor
for twelve years.
He took an early retirement at age 57 after a merger. He and Sondra travelled and enrolled in
tap dance lessons. They invited their kids and grandkids to dance with them. Offered to drive
them and paid for their tap dance lessons. They performed at the San Diego County Fair with
their classmates.
When Sondra became ill. Richard stepped up to the plate and took care of her. He read the
Bible to her, reminisced, and adapted their dance steps due to her mobility issues. Before she
died, she said she wanted him to remarry down the road. They were married 44 years.
At a bereavement group through Kaiser, Richard met Sara Appel-Lennon. She was taking an
Educational Technology class to renew her teaching credential at the time. Richard offered to
tutor her. She aced the class and then the two started dating.
They shared their first kiss on
February 1st, Super Bowl Sunday. They were married two years after meeting.
Richard used the name, Dick, until Sara nicknamed him CK for Compassion and Kindness, the
last two letters of Dick. Afterward, Dick said his acronym for Dick was drill instructor control
king. CK stuck as his nickname.
Sara and Richard both loved to dance and travel. They went on cruises and even spent April in
Paris, renting an Air B&B on the Champs Elysees. Sara had wanted to visit Monet’s Garden in
Giverny so Richard made her dream come true.
When Richard became ill, Sara stepped up to the plate and became his care manager and
patient advocate while remaining his devoted wife. They adapted their dance steps due to his
mobility issues.
Richard can be remembered for his radiant friendly personality, smiling eyes, and bushy white
eyebrows. He used to pull his eyebrow hairs to touch his eye lashes He refused to have his
eyebrow trimmed until right before Sara and Richard’s wedding.
Richard often quoted his mother “Life is not in doing what one likes but in liking what one has
to do.” He often smiled while doing what he had to do. He also used to say “That’s people”
because he didn’t like to complain.
Here’s lookin at you kid! You made it through the rain! We will miss you greatly! The soul is
eternal.
Richard has transformed. He is in a different zip code. Love never dies. Richard John
Lennon is survived by his devoted wife of 19 years, Sara Appel-Lennon, his daughter, Kathleen
Foster, ten grand-kids, and four great grand-kids.
We remember his first wife, Sondra Lennon,
his two kids who died young, his son, Brian Lennon, and his daughter Erin Cannariauto.
In lieu
of flowers, please make a donation to Hydrocephalus Association or International Relief Team
or Courage to Caregivers.
What’s your fondest memory of Richard?
What’s a lesson you learned from Richard?
Share a story where Richard's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Richard you’ll never forget.
How did Richard make you smile?