Richard Riley Constant of Blue Ridge, Texas passed away peacefully at his home on May 11, 2021, surrounded by family. He was born on April 14, 1938, to William Riley Constant and Lucille (née Boswell) Constant in Rio Grande City, Texas and raised in Freer, Texas. He married Rosalyn (“Roz”) Reeves Abbott on July 30, 1977, in Dallas, Texas. After completing his higher education at Southwest Texas State University, University of Texas at Austin, and UT Southwestern Medical School, he joined the United States Air Force Reserves as a Flight Surgeon. Colonel Richard R. Constant had a distinguished 39-year career in the United States Air Force Reserves serving from 1963-2002. During his career, he was a rated Flight Surgeon for the 136th Medical Group supporting the 181st Squadron, then Commander of the 301st Medical Squadron from 1991-1999, Flight Surgeon to the 457th FS “Spads,” deployed to Gulf War, Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. For his service, he was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal (3 Bronze Stars) and the National Defense Service Medal. After beginning his medical career in Casa Grande, Arizona in 1966, Richard joined the Cooper Clinic Aerobic Center in Dallas, Texas in 1976 as a cardiologist, where he helped lead the path of preventive medicine. Following his retirement from the Cooper Clinic Aerobic Center in 2012, Richard loved riding his John Deere tractor, bailing bumper crops of hay, and tending to his cattle.
Richard prioritized family above all else as a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and uncle. He taught his children that “if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right,” to “hang by your thumbs,” and they learned to “get glad in the same pants you got mad in.” In addition to his funny Texas colloquialisms, and his enthusiasm for all things Texas, especially his beloved Longhorns at “The University,” his grandchildren would share about his love for Fritos, Pepsi floats and his red flannel jacket. His family will miss the poetry he often quoted: “Into each life some rain must fall…”; “Oh what a tangled web we weave…”; “Tell me not, in mournful numbers, life is but an empty dream!...” and “Once up on a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary…” Although his presence may be gone, his handprint on their lives will remain.
Richard is survived by his beloved wife of 43 years, Roz Constant of Blue Ridge, Texas; sons, Craig Constant and wife, Nishat of Frisco, Texas, and Charles Constant and wife, Meridith of Dallas, Texas; daughters, Cindy Lakey and husband, Nathan of Chesterfield, Missouri, and Catherine Thompson and husband, Jason of Allen, Texas; stepson, Lance Abbott and wife, Sara of McKinney, Texas; stepdaughter, Lori Motl and husband, Casey of Arkadelphia, Arkansas; grandchildren, Andrew, Ashley, and Abigail Lakey, Bethany and Ben Thompson, Riley and Sutton Constant, Katherine, Reeves, and Mary Abbott, Ryan and his wife, Mattie, Sydney, and Josh Motl; great-granddaughter, Miriam Motl; sisters, Doris Constant of Dallas, Texas and Jean Thurman of Lake Jackson, Texas; and a host of other loving family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Lucille Constant and sister, Marilynn Mayfield.
A graveside service will be held at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 20, 2021 at Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, Texas 75211.
The family is requesting donations be made in Richard’s honor to The Parkinson’s Foundation, www.parkinson.org or the Texas Exes Forty Acres Scholars Program. Services are being coordinated by Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas 75013, who can also handle card correspondence.