Richard William Etter was born on May 29, 1932 to William and Dagmar Etter. Everyone knew him as Dick Etter. Dick spent his childhood in Pittsburg and Oakland, California and on Fickle Hill near Arcata, California, with his cousins. He graduated from Fremont High School in Oakland, California. He loved music. He played trombone in bands and took classical singing lessons when he was young. He loved to sing songs all through his life.
He graduated from University of California, Berkeley in June, 1955. There he met Sandra Croce and they were married on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1956. He joined the Air Force and was a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Air Force, Air Training Command, Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma where he lived with his wife Sandra.
He worked as a banker for many years. He managed banks in Sacramento and in Scotia at Pacific Lumber Company. Then he settled in San Francisco. He received his MBA in Finance from Golden Gate University. He was Vice President of Crocker bank at #1 Montgomery Street in San Francisco. Later he was also an investment banker.
He loved sailing with family and friends, and in regattas on the San Francisco bay. His Cal 34 yacht was named Vintage. He was a member of the St. Francis Yacht Club for over 50 years.
Dick and Sandra moved to Healdsburg, California where he realized a life-long dream of becoming a chef and owner of his own restaurant. At the “Charcuterie” on Healdsburg Avenue, everyone came to know him and Sandra. He was a connoisseur of the fine wines in the area and a Master Gardener who loved the rose bushes and vegetables in his home garden, as well as the Etter apple trees in his backyard.
He was an avid bicycle rider and participated in some of the 100-mile rides with his bicycling friends in the area. He worked out on the rowing machine at the gym in Healdsburg every day, and enjoyed the company of many friends at Willi’s on Healdsburg Avenue when the tourists were away. He also took many trips to Whitefish, Montana to visit close friends.
He was a passionate, charming, very genuine, and always considerate man. He was a great storyteller, and he had a magnetic personality. He enjoyed showing people a good time. Everyone knew Dick Etter. He will be greatly missed. He is survived by cousins, nieces and nephews, and many good friends.
To connect with friends and family, tell stories about Dick Etter, and be notified about a memorial event, please go to:
https://www.forevermissed.com/richardetter
