Richard Alexander Moody, loving husband, father & grandfather, died unexpectedly on October 15, 2023.
Richard was born January 14, 1953 in Queens, NY to Alex & Joyce (O’Brien) Moody. He was the second of four siblings.
From early on, Richard showed his intelligence & mischievousness. He often tormented his math teachers by providing the correct answer, but never showing his work. His high aptitude in mathematics led to his appointment to the United States Merchant Marine Academy & ultimately to his degree in Mechanical Engineering at NC State. Richard had a successful career as Director of Engineering & Maintenance within the printing industry; he worked for several companies throughout the United States.
Richard loved sports and the outdoors. He rowed crew & wrestled in college, but his biggest love in sports was soccer. He played Division 1 soccer in college, and continued to play & coach soccer up into his 60’s.
The outdoors was always calling Richard; he said he felt closest to God out in Nature. Camping, hiking trails, skiing, whitewater rafting, adventures in national & state parks, swinging a golf club & fishing were some of the ways he communed with nature. He even built a deck under the huge trees in his backyard as his ‘Fortress of Solitude’.
As much as he loved being outdoors & playing sports, his greatest love was for his family. Nothing pleased him as much as when all of his four sons played with him on the same recreational soccer team. As he got older, that joy converted to his playing golf with his sons & other treasured family & friends. But it wasn’t just the boys that he enjoyed, he truly relished being ‘Papa’ to his 9 grandchildren, 8 of them girls who wrapped him around their little fingers.
Blessed to have joined Richard in his many adventures is his surviving wife for near 50 years: Doreen (O’Sullivan) Moody. Also surviving is his sister, Cheryl (Moody) Darnell. Richard was also survived by his four sons & spouses: Jeremiah (Jennifer), Joshua (Elizabeth), Benjamin & Brien (Melissa); his nine grandchildren: Autumn, Madison, Natalie, Caleb, Isabella, Jenna, Saige, Penelope & Josielynn, along with numerous nieces & nephews, and his large extended family of brothers and sisters-in-law.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Alex & Joyce, his brother Bill & his sister Laurel.
There will be a Celebration of Life on Sunday, November 12th at 1pm at First Methodist Church, 263 King St, Oviedo, FL. It will be held in the Old Historic Church on the corner of King & Lake Jessup Streets.
