Richard Douglass Gage 1937-2020
Richard (Dick) Douglass Gage, 82, of Houston, Texas died
June 29, 2020, after a short illness. He was born September 14, 1937 in
Houston, Texas, the son of James D. and Elizabeth Zumwalt Gage.
He attended and graduated from Lamar High School in1956, then enlisted in the US Navy and was proud to serve his country. He was aboard the USS Olmsted when they landed at Beirut, Lebanon and has shared that story with his grandchildren. He was discharged from the Navy in 1961 and returned to Houston. He then married JoAnn Hall Gage in 1959 and started a family, sons, Ricky and Glenn and daughter, Cheri. Richard loved sports and coached his boys through the years in Baseball and Football and until his passing, was still called Coach by their friends. Richard worked for WS Bellows Construction and attended the University of Houston for 9 nine years while working full time and raising a family. He graduated with a Business Degree and was on the Dean’s list. Richard worked for WS Bellows for 22 years starting on the construction side of the business and ending his career there as a manager in the IT department. He loved computers and worked in the IT field until retirement. He was an avid coin collector, interested in WWI and WWII, gun collector, wood worker, loved the beach and started playing softball in 1995. His family grew with the marriages of children and the start of grandchildren and his role as “Poppie”. He cared for his wife, JoAnn during her battle with cancer and lost her in 1999 after 40 years of marriage.
The next chapter of his life included new passions and adventures. He met Almena Downey, who was his companion for 20 years until his passing. They traveled, attended softball tournaments around the country and attended church together at St Paul’s Presbyterian Church until it relocated, settling into the congregation of The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, in which he was baptized.
He continued to play softball and was a member of the Harris County Senior Softball league where he served as coach, working on the fields, in charge of uniforms for the league and most of all enjoying playing. Bayland Park named a street after him, Dick Gage Avenue to honor his contribution to the league. He was inducted into the Texas Senior Softball Hall of Fame in 2014. Richard loved sports and was an avid Houston Oilers and then Houston Texas fan and rarely missed attending a game being a longtime season pass holder.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife, Jo Ann Hall Gage; and son, Richard (Ricky) D Gage, Jr. He is survived by his companion, Almena Downey of Houston, TX; son, Glenn Gage and wife, Rebecca of Conroe, TX; daughter, Cheri Tamborello and husband, Paul of Houston, TX; daughter-in-law, Deanna Stewart Gage of Katy, TX; grandchildren, Gabrielle Gage, Ashton Guerra and husband Matthew Guerra, Brittney Tamborello, Lath Gage, Michelle Gage and Justin Tamborello; great-grandchildren, Adam Diaz and Slade Guerra; brother, John Gage; Almena’s two children and two grandchildren; Along with many other relatives and friends.
Private services will be held for family in the near future.
Donations in Richard’s honor can be directed to one of the following charities; MD Anderson Cancer Center, Halo House Foundation, or The Alzheimer’s Association.
He attended and graduated from Lamar High School in1956, then enlisted in the US Navy and was proud to serve his country. He was aboard the USS Olmsted when they landed at Beirut, Lebanon and has shared that story with his grandchildren. He was discharged from the Navy in 1961 and returned to Houston. He then married JoAnn Hall Gage in 1959 and started a family, sons, Ricky and Glenn and daughter, Cheri. Richard loved sports and coached his boys through the years in Baseball and Football and until his passing, was still called Coach by their friends. Richard worked for WS Bellows Construction and attended the University of Houston for 9 nine years while working full time and raising a family. He graduated with a Business Degree and was on the Dean’s list. Richard worked for WS Bellows for 22 years starting on the construction side of the business and ending his career there as a manager in the IT department. He loved computers and worked in the IT field until retirement. He was an avid coin collector, interested in WWI and WWII, gun collector, wood worker, loved the beach and started playing softball in 1995. His family grew with the marriages of children and the start of grandchildren and his role as “Poppie”. He cared for his wife, JoAnn during her battle with cancer and lost her in 1999 after 40 years of marriage.
The next chapter of his life included new passions and adventures. He met Almena Downey, who was his companion for 20 years until his passing. They traveled, attended softball tournaments around the country and attended church together at St Paul’s Presbyterian Church until it relocated, settling into the congregation of The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, in which he was baptized.
He continued to play softball and was a member of the Harris County Senior Softball league where he served as coach, working on the fields, in charge of uniforms for the league and most of all enjoying playing. Bayland Park named a street after him, Dick Gage Avenue to honor his contribution to the league. He was inducted into the Texas Senior Softball Hall of Fame in 2014. Richard loved sports and was an avid Houston Oilers and then Houston Texas fan and rarely missed attending a game being a longtime season pass holder.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife, Jo Ann Hall Gage; and son, Richard (Ricky) D Gage, Jr. He is survived by his companion, Almena Downey of Houston, TX; son, Glenn Gage and wife, Rebecca of Conroe, TX; daughter, Cheri Tamborello and husband, Paul of Houston, TX; daughter-in-law, Deanna Stewart Gage of Katy, TX; grandchildren, Gabrielle Gage, Ashton Guerra and husband Matthew Guerra, Brittney Tamborello, Lath Gage, Michelle Gage and Justin Tamborello; great-grandchildren, Adam Diaz and Slade Guerra; brother, John Gage; Almena’s two children and two grandchildren; Along with many other relatives and friends.
Private services will be held for family in the near future.
Donations in Richard’s honor can be directed to one of the following charities; MD Anderson Cancer Center, Halo House Foundation, or The Alzheimer’s Association.
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