ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Progress
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Richard Stacy was a member of the North Coast Ocean Rescue Team for 19 years. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Stacy. |
May 31, 2018 - San Luis Obispo, California
Richard Stacy lived a life straight out of a Hollywood movie. A life so full of escapades and plot twists that it would seem implausible if it weren’t actually true. His “choose your own adventure” life began in New Hampshire and ended in Cambria, California; what happens in- between he captured in his forthright and enthralling memoir, “Tales of a Psychedelic Warrior…You Won’t Believe the Ending!”
The book takes the reader from New York to San Francisco to Paris to Casablanca to Baja California — among other places — and, finally, to Cambria. The journey is filled with amazing encounters. At Terminal Island Prison, for instance, Richard shared a dorm with G. Gordon Liddy, who had been convicted of wiretapping, burglary and conspiracy in the Watergate scandal.
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Left: Richard in the movie "Monterrey Pops festival." Right: Richard Stacy kayaking in the Pacific. |
A San Luis Obispo Tribune article explains, “How did Richard wind up in prison?
He had just sailed from Tangiers to Charleston, South Carolina, with a boatload
of marijuana when he was caught in what he writes was ‘the largest hash bust in
the history of the country at that time.’” But the radical change in his life
came at age 35, when he met Stephanie Meier at the Church of Religious Science.
It was after his release from prison that Richard became involved as manager
and part owner of the Sweetwater Café in Los Angeles.
Richard referred to the first 39 years of his life as “B.S.” (Before Stephanie), and the contrast between that period of time and his last years was certainly striking. But Stephanie points out, “Despite his change in lifestyle, Richard was still the same person.”
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Richard with his family in 2008. |
Richard and Stephanie married and created a loving family. His adventurous spirit matured and he focused on personal growth, becoming a true pillar of the Cambria community through volunteerism. For a new career, he became a master craftsman and his beautiful tiling can be seen throughout businesses and private homes along the Central Coast.
Richard was diagnosed with ALS in the spring of 2015. For years, his family and friends had been telling him he needed to write his memoirs, and he had always planned to do so. It was when he finally realized that he was getting close to the end of his battle with ALS that he decided it was time to do so. With Stephanie’s help, he started writing in spring of 2017 and finished in two months.
“He was driven,” his wife Stephanie shared. “It was exciting watching his wheels turn. My husband has always taken everything to the extreme and writing his book was one more way for him to do exactly that.”
Richard Stacy died on May 23, 2017. Their efforts together became a forthright and enthralling memoir entitled, “Tales of a Psychedelic Warrior…You’ll Never Believe the Ending!” which was published in November 2017.
A friend stated, “Richard had a penchant for putting a smile on everyone's face. You will find it hard to put this book down, wondering which road he takes next. But the ending will tug at your heartstrings.”
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Left: Richard being presented with a gift from friend and fellow Jazz-lover, Marvin Weitzenhoffer. Right: Cover of Richard Stacy's memior, Tales of a Psychedelic Warrior |
Richard retained his sense of humor throughout his
struggle with ALS. Just days before his death, Richard wrote on his Facebook page,
“If this dying thing wasn't so damn fatal, it would actually be fun. All the
girls want to kiss me, and everyone says nice things about me.”
“Tales of a Psychedelic Warrior…You’ll Never Believe the Ending!” can be found on Amazon Smile. Stephanie recently completed a sequel to the memoir, “Tales of My Psychedelic Warrior…the Rest of the Story!” that will be published this summer.. A portion of the proceeds from the book sales will be donated to The ALS Association Golden West Chapter.
The Golden West Chapter is grateful to Richard, Stephanie and the Stacy family for using their talents to celebrate Richard’s life, raising interest and awareness about ALS, and their dedication to finding treatments and cures.
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Richard and Stephanie Stacy, dancing together. |
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Richard Stacy was a member of the North Coast Ocean Rescue Team for 19 years. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Stacy. |
May 31, 2018 - San Luis Obispo, California
Richard Stacy lived a life straight out of a Hollywood movie. A life so full of escapades and plot twists that it would seem implausible if it weren’t actually true. His “choose your own adventure” life began in New Hampshire and ended in Cambria, California; what happens in- between he captured in his forthright and enthralling memoir, “Tales of a Psychedelic Warrior…You Won’t Believe the Ending!”
The book takes the reader from New York to San Francisco to Paris to Casablanca to Baja California — among other places — and, finally, to Cambria. The journey is filled with amazing encounters. At Terminal Island Prison, for instance, Richard shared a dorm with G. Gordon Liddy, who had been convicted of wiretapping, burglary and conspiracy in the Watergate scandal.
|
||
|
Left: Richard in the movie "Monterrey Pops festival." Right: Richard Stacy kayaking in the Pacific. |
A San Luis Obispo Tribune article explains, “How did Richard wind up in prison?
He had just sailed from Tangiers to Charleston, South Carolina, with a boatload
of marijuana when he was caught in what he writes was ‘the largest hash bust in
the history of the country at that time.’” But the radical change in his life
came at age 35, when he met Stephanie Meier at the Church of Religious Science.
It was after his release from prison that Richard became involved as manager
and part owner of the Sweetwater Café in Los Angeles.
Richard referred to the first 39 years of his life as “B.S.” (Before Stephanie), and the contrast between that period of time and his last years was certainly striking. But Stephanie points out, “Despite his change in lifestyle, Richard was still the same person.”
|
||
|
Richard with his family in 2008. |
Richard and Stephanie married and created a loving family. His adventurous spirit matured and he focused on personal growth, becoming a true pillar of the Cambria community through volunteerism. For a new career, he became a master craftsman and his beautiful tiling can be seen throughout businesses and private homes along the Central Coast.
Richard was diagnosed with ALS in the spring of 2015. For years, his family and friends had been telling him he needed to write his memoirs, and he had always planned to do so. It was when he finally realized that he was getting close to the end of his battle with ALS that he decided it was time to do so. With Stephanie’s help, he started writing in spring of 2017 and finished in two months.
“He was driven,” his wife Stephanie shared. “It was exciting watching his wheels turn. My husband has always taken everything to the extreme and writing his book was one more way for him to do exactly that.”
Richard Stacy died on May 23, 2017. Their efforts together became a forthright and enthralling memoir entitled, “Tales of a Psychedelic Warrior…You’ll Never Believe the Ending!” which was published in November 2017.
A friend stated, “Richard had a penchant for putting a smile on everyone's face. You will find it hard to put this book down, wondering which road he takes next. But the ending will tug at your heartstrings.”
|
||
|
Left: Richard being presented with a gift from friend and fellow Jazz-lover, Marvin Weitzenhoffer. Right: Cover of Richard Stacy's memior, Tales of a Psychedelic Warrior |
Richard retained his sense of humor throughout his
struggle with ALS. Just days before his death, Richard wrote on his Facebook page,
“If this dying thing wasn't so damn fatal, it would actually be fun. All the
girls want to kiss me, and everyone says nice things about me.”
“Tales of a Psychedelic Warrior…You’ll Never Believe the Ending!” can be found on Amazon Smile. Stephanie recently completed a sequel to the memoir, “Tales of My Psychedelic Warrior…the Rest of the Story!” that will be published this summer.. A portion of the proceeds from the book sales will be donated to The ALS Association Golden West Chapter.
The Golden West Chapter is grateful to Richard, Stephanie and the Stacy family for using their talents to celebrate Richard’s life, raising interest and awareness about ALS, and their dedication to finding treatments and cures.
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Richard and Stephanie Stacy, dancing together. |
