Read Richard "Richie" Hanford King's Obituary & Leave Condolences

In memory of

Richard "Richie" Hanford King

Nevada City, CA, USA

December 12, 1978 - July 6, 2021

Dec 12, 1978 - Jul 6, 2021

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On the morning of December 12, 1978, Jerry, Bob, Phil, and the rest of the members of the Grateful Dead were finalizing their setlist for a show later that evening at the Jai-Alai Fronton in Miami, Florida. Halfway across the world, in the middle of the Aegean Sea, Patricia and Pat King prepared for the birth of their only son. Richard Hanford was born at a birthing center that would change your oil at the same time, in the town of Iraklion on the island of Crete, Greece. Such a unique entry into this world could only be followed by a unique path in life.

There were a lot of things that made Richie special, beyond being a son, brother, uncle, and friend. Coast to coast, he lived his life on the edge. Sometimes on the edge of a mountain, sometimes on the edge of a starting block, sometimes on the edge of the surfboard, often times on the edge of a crowded festival field, taking in the wonder of the moment. There was a cosmic spirit that Richard embodied, which was apparent in the kind of work he undertook during the daylight hours. For a time, he found success harvesting the power of the sun until ultimately, he found his occupational calling tending to the earth and cultivating the physical equivalent of an organic party.

Pirate Richie, as he often referred to himself, was a collector of items for his hidden treasure chest. Knives, crystals, shark’s teeth, tattoos, and motorcycles were popular items, but he also collected many memories in a steel trap upstairs, that he wouldn’t hesitate to remind us all about. He was a gourmand, even if it was transforming canned goods into 5-star meals, and a perpetual lover of dogs. Throughout his life, he personally cared for more than a dozen canines but loved far more. Much like his friends, dogs unknowingly entered his orbit and simply never left.

Richie had an innate ability to make every person he crossed paths with feel welcome and connected. New acquaintances would walk away from a first conversation with him with a firm handshake, likely a hug, and an excited feeling that they had just met their new best friend or business partner in a Margarita shack somewhere in the Caribbean.

One of the smartest and most opinionated men that many of us have ever met, Richie was a storyteller, big and small (unclear about how true those stories were). Often you would find yourself across from him, deep into the wee hours of the night, long after the bottle was empty, simply because he brought such intense enthusiasm into whatever the topic the conversation had turned to.

He was an extreme lover of music, as some of his tattoos would attest to, emphatically sharing that love with any and everyone who would listen. If he ever shared a mixtape or a playlist with you, you know how far reaching his musical tastes would range, but his heart belonged to the jam band and festival scene. There was a draw, to the environment, the people, and the feeling of a festival that he couldn’t stay away from.

On vacation, when he was 18, his father challenged him in a contest to see who could go longest without washing their hair. Richard won by a margin of 25 years. For years, his dreads forbade him from hiding in a crowd, but he was never one to not stand out. His physical appearance would often earn him a free drink because a stranger would want to talk with him about the 15 pounds of hair on his head. For too many years, the hair hid the devastatingly handsome man beneath it all.

He loved many, but there were a select few partners that he willingly gave his heart to without asking for anything in return. Some relationships lasted longer than others, but with each, he loved without hesitation.

Richard is not survived by anyone. Instead, he is loved and remembered for the man he was. As a young man, he gained two new families, with two young Haag sisters and a soul sister of a step-mother. An entire clan of Harding siblings embraced him along with his step-father, with whom he had a relationship based on respect for individuality.

His parents celebrated the conversations they had with him every day, and worried about him every single night. Their love for him is immortal and they find comfort in knowing that he’s currently held in the loving embrace of his Nana and Mimi.

For 39 of his 42 years, he was a fierce protector and number one supporter of his baby sister Elizabeth. Richard was proud of the man she chose to wed and he found great joy in becoming an uncle, sharing a special bond with his niece, Ellis, and nephew, Everett. Julien, his youngest nephew, whom he never got the chance to meet, is a spitting image of baby Richie, having been described as a troublemaker, with that “King fire” in his eyes.

Richie was a self-proclaimed hermit while also a social butterfly. He was a huge pain in the ass, and most importantly he was genuinely himself.

His West Coast family will memorialize him in Grass Valley on Saturday July 17th, 2021.
His Rochester friends will hold a party on Lake Ontario in his honor on a date to be announced.
His immediate family will celebrate his life on a date to be announced in New Jersey.

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