Gary Paul Richards passed away unexpectedly on May 11, 2022, surrounded by his loving family, following an unforeseen surgical complication. He was 80 years young living with his family in Salem, Oregon.

Gary was born on April 12, 1942 to Irene and Paul Richards in Portland, Oregon. He and his parents moved to Bakersfield, California, shortly after, where Gary lived a full, loving, family-filled upbringing as the oldest brother of four.

After graduating from Bakersfield High School, having been voted unanimously “The Most Likely to Succeed” in 1959, he went on to study Business at UC Berkley, receiving his Associates Degree (later to complete his Bachelors Degree in Management and Technology through the University of Maryland).

Fresh out of college, he worked with his father, Paul, in the construction industry, providing outstanding craftsmanship all around Northern California; namely, the Sebastopol, Petaluma, Napa Valley, Mendocino County, Sausalito and other Bay area locations.

Over time, he felt called to experience new vistas and branched out, continuing as a carpenter and moving to the island of Kauai for three years. He focused on personal growth and wellness during his island stay and fondly shared stories of learning the Hawaiian slack key guitar while there which, to the delight of his loved ones, he continued to play throughout his lifetime. He moved back to Northern California, an ever more grounded and radiant man and loving brother and son to his family, who all lived in the same region.

In 1970, he met the love of his life, his earthly angel, Darielle, at an organic gardening meeting. She was literally dressed as an Angel! It was a costume party; she took his breath away from moment one and he never looked back. He fondly shared how he remembered the crowds of people parting and light shining all around her in this enchanting meeting. They wed in 1972, and soon welcomed their daughters, Ariana (1979) and Bethany (1983).

Ariana was born in Healdsburg, CA, where Gary owned a successful cedar home design and construction business that he’d built from the ground up. He loved working with his hands and physically building a life they loved. He had a healthy way of balancing his family and work life, all while raising goats and gardening in his off hours alongside Darielle.

The young family relocated in 1981 to Southern California, where youngest daughter, Bethany, was born two years later. Darielle and Gary homeschooled their children and provided them with countless extra-curricular activities in their days. World travel was a special element of their lives, and his family gained countless friends and lifetime memories in these years of homeschool and international travel.

Gary was a force of nature with his capable ways and brilliant mind; his proven background landed him as chairman and CEO of a national business unit of a Fortune 500 company. It was here that he gained much of his experience in business analysis and capital formation. He ultimately sold the business and created Pathfinder Metrics, the predecessor to Pacific Northwest Business Brokers, when he and family moved back to Northern California in 2001 and settled in 2003 to the green countryside of the Pacific Northwest in Salem, Oregon.

As an experienced business owner and manager, Gary became an Oregon Business Broker where he coached business owners and sold their businesses, large and small, over the past 20 years.

Gary coordinated the planning, capitalization, development, and operation of more than 100 businesses since 1984. He raised over $120 million in equity and debt financing for them.

He served on the SBA National Advisory Council, which is a key private sector advisory group to the SBA, Congress, and the President on small business issues.

In addition to his business brokerage duties, Gary was an adjunct member of the faculty and a business advisor at the Chemeketa Community College Small Business Development Center.

In 2013, Gary and his family felt the calling to experience international living, and he continued his work from afar, living abroad in Uruguay, then Ireland, and returning home to Salem, Oregon in April of 2021. To say that Gary is known and loved everywhere he went is truly an understatement.

He fully enjoyed what he did and those he met in his days. He made the time to show up for everyone who reached out, providing caring, trustworthy, and sound counsel always. He simply wanted to brighten lives in his days and that he surely did. Peace and caring permeated him, and kindness felt like it was his middle name.

Anyone who knew Gary knew that he was the most loving husband, father, sibling, and son a family could ask for. He shared this same love with his community of friends, professionals, and acquaintances spanning across the globe.

Gary was predeceased by his parents, Irene and Paul Richards. He is survived by wife, Darielle, daughters, Ariana and Bethany, four beloved grandchildren, Sisters, Colene Mace and Joyce Homenko, and brother, Roy Richards.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be sent directly via Gary’s memorial site: https://everloved.com/life-of…

All donations are set to go directly to his forever soulmate, and wife of 50 years, Darielle, as she navigates this new chapter in life, and tackles a mountain of unexpected (and significant) medical bills that follow after Gary’s sudden passing.

A Celebration of Life is in the works and will be updated via Gary’s memorial site listed above.

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