Richard George Bachmann's Obituary
Richard George Bachmann, of Palm Harbor, FL, formerly of Silver Spring, MD, died peacefully at Suncoast Hospice with his wife by his side on December 17, 2014 at age 72. Richard was the beloved husband of Susan L. Bachmann. They married in Rockville, MD in February 1989 and shared many years traveling the world together. As well as his loving wife, Richard is survived by his sister, Ruth Detjen of Poughkeepsie, NY, nieces Amy Kline (Patrick) and Virginia Roginski (Peter) and their families, along with cousins, friends, and his cat, Portia.
Born in Jamaica, NY on December 27, 1941, Richard grew up in New Hyde Park, NY and attended Hempsted High School where he played varsity football as a lineman and lacrosse, graduating at the top of his class in 1959. In September 1958, he was notified that he had received a Congressional appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1963. Upon graduation from the Naval Academy, he attended Admiral Rickover’s Nuclear Power School. In 1964-1966, he served aboard the U.S.S. Graffias as Communications Officer and then Navigator for four deployments to the western Pacific. In 1967, he was Assistant Officer in Charge, Inshore Undersea Warfare Group Unit 2, (Harbor Patrol) based at Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. He received the Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Meritorious Unit Commendation. His final active duty job was Communications Officer on the staff of Commandant, 12th Naval District, San Francisco. After leaving the Navy, he received a Juris Doctorate from the University of California Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Following law school, he joined the Naval Reserve as a Lt. Commander in the Navy JAG Corps. In the spring of 1979, he started work with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Rockville, MD as a Litigation Attorney in the NRC’s Office of the General Counsel, representing the NRC staff in contested hearings concerning the licensing of nuclear power plants. He practiced law until his retirement in 1999 and remained a member of the California Bar Association. After retiring, Richard and Susan moved to Florida.
Richard was a man of integrity and strength. His acts of kindness and sense of humor were especially endearing to his wife. Richard’s interests extended from backyard bird watching to the arts and military and world history. He was an avid reader, and there wasn’t a New York Times crossword clue he couldn’t figure out or an obscure movie’s name he couldn’t remember. He loved cats as well, and they returned his affection. Often he was followed by a stray cat or two while out walking or would find a friendly neighborhood cat coming by to visit him while he relaxed on his deck at home in Maryland. He also thoroughly enjoyed spending weekends with Susan and friends aboard his sailboat on the Chesapeake Bay.
His remains will be interred with full military honors at the U.S. Naval Academy columbarium in Annapolis, MD. Memorial contributions may be made to the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation Athletic and Scholarship Programs, 25 Maryland Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21401.
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