Obituaries

It began with a missed phone call to her on Saturday, October 7, 1961. Dick was 15 years old. He called her again later that afternoon. She answered the phone. He asked her to be his date for a cook-out and hayride hosted by his church’s youth group. She surprised herself when she said, “Yes.”

Unknown by either of them, that phone call was the germ of a deep and abiding love that endured and grew through their high school and college years, until the fulfillment of the promise and commitment of “until death do us part” in August, 2025.

As with their first date, she again, said, ‘Yes,” as he offered her his grandmother’s engagement ring when he asked her to share a marriage and a future with him as his wife.

Fifty-six years later, adored and loved by his wife, his sons Robert Scott and Justin Dietrich, their respective wives and five cherished and adored grandchildren, Dick quietly rode with the angels and the eagles to his heavenly home on Thursday, August 14, 2025, in Castro Valley, California. He was a husband, a Dad, as well as an admired and loved Father-in-law, and an adored Opa and Grandpa.

Dick had endured with the grace and strength of a wise, honorable, and steadfast warrior through the ravages of a long-term battle with a debilitating illness. He, with wisdom, grace, and determination fought the battle. In his 79th year, it was time for the aforementioned eagles and the angels to wrap him in their wings, taking him away from pain and suffering to his eternal home.

Dick graduated from the University of Illinois. His soft-ware development career began with IBM in Poughkeepsie, New York. It continued with IBM in Chicago, and ultimately with various companies in Silicon Valley. His college computer software classes’ texts at Illinois were the mimeographed pages of his professors’ soon-to-be published foundational books on computer science.

Complementing his talent of having written millions of lines of computer code, and moving from junior programmer to senior executive positions in various software companies, Dick was a talented musician. Beginning with playing trumpet in band in junior high school (where he met she who became his wife), and teaching himself string bass, Dick was an accomplished jazz musician. He loved classical music (several seasons of enjoying San Francisco Symphony concerts) and the Big Band sound. His vinyl collection is a musical smorgasbord.

Baby Boomer Richard Lee Heuser was born in Decatur, Illinois, to Robert K. and Lois J. (Schmitt) Heuser. He was older brother to Janet Lynn (Heuser) Jones. Both parents and his sister preceded him in death. Surviving are his wife Madolyn Carol (Rose) Heuser, sons Robert Scott Heuser (Thu), Justin Dietrich Heuser (Stacia), grandchildren Zoe, Zayden, Aaron, Matthew, and Sara. He leaves an enduring legacy of love to his brother-in-law, Scott Rose (Patti), as well as to his extended family of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends in California, Illinois, Ohio, and Wisconsin

Dick’s “Life Verse”

Micah 6:8 The Lord has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

In lieu of Flowers, Dick would be honored by:

A tree planted in Israel --- Plant Trees through Jewish National Fund

A tree planted in US National Park --- Plant A Tree In Memory | Plant Memorial Tree

A contribution to Wounded Warriors --- woundedwarriorproject.org

There is a late September planned gathering for Dick’s family and friends to send loving laughter to him, celebrating his life, love, and grace …on his and Madolyn’s 57th wedding anniversary.