Richard A. Barz

About Richard A. Barz

Richard was a fascinating man. He was a marine for a number of years before he settled home. For the last 35 years of his life spent much of his time supporting Toys for Tots until he fittingly passed in uniform preparing for a Toys for Tots Function at Central Michigan University.

Richard lived by his own words…

“Every child deserves a better future.”

— Richard A. Barz

The More You Know…

Richard A. Dick Barz was an outgoing and friendly person who had many stories to tell. He loved his family dearly and cared for many beyond his household, working for the good of friends and strangers alike. He believed that a person should always try to do their best no matter the task or regardless of their circumstance. Dick definitely practiced what he preached.

Richard was born at home on July 11, 1930 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. His father worked at the Sugar Beet Factory & Ferro Manufacturing and his mother worked for the Mt. Pleasant Schools Central Kitchen. Coming of age during the Depression, Dick was very familiar with ration books for shoes, sugar, gas and tires. The family didn't have much money, but there was an abundance of love. Given the economic times, Dick quit school in the 9th grade and enlisted in the Army/Air Force when he was 15 years old. He had wanted to join the Marine Corps with his older brother Bill, but he was too young. Instead, he spent three years in the Army/Air Force and then joined the U.S. Marine Corps, serving four years in military service and six years in the Reserves. All three of the Barz brothers served proudly in the U. S. Marine Corps, so it was little wonder that Dicks favorite colors were red, white and blue. During his military career as a Staff Sergeant from 1948-1952, Dick was caught in the worst land combat the U.S. Marine Corps ever faced during the Korean War. November into December 1950, the North Koreans had set a trap at the Chosin Reservoir and Dicks division was pinned down. The situation became all the more dire because the American military had plans to use the A-Bomb just before Christmas. So intense was the experience that Dick long remembered the star that glowed high in the sky on the night before he and others got out of the trap and were spared the bombing that was scheduled for the next day. From then on, Dick marked that amazing escape in 1950 as the greatest day of his life. As a result of that life-changing experience, Dick formed a close bond with his fellow Marines. He became a lifetime member of the Marine Corps League, The Michigan Chapter of the "Chosin Few," Borley-Hanel Post #3033 VFW and the 1st Marine Division Association. He went to monthly meetings in Rankin, Michigan with the survivors of the Battle of Chosin Reservior. They shared their stories of a time and place that only they knew.

After his military service, Dick spent a lifetime in the moving and trucking industry. He opened his own agency, Barz North American Vanlines, in Mt. Pleasant and worked there for 18 years until he retired in 2003. Dick had always enjoyed the freedom of the open road, and he had a perspective on life that allowed him to take in the many mishaps on the road. He never took life for granted and was forever grateful for the years he was afforded.

Out of a 22-year marriage to Jewel Cavender, Dick was blessed with three children: Richard Lee, Lucinda Mae and Melinda. He maintained that he had no particularly difficult challenges in raising his children, other than working hard to provide for them and dealing with a few fender benders. The fact that there were no serious accidents could perhaps be attributed to Dicks favorite phrase when he rode in a car: "Drive it like you own it." In 1975, Dick married Crystal "Chris" Lamae Inman on May 10th at Sacred Heart Church. The 15 years they had together were deeply meaningful and memorable. On one vacation to Las Vegas, they had fun even though Chris was wheelchair-bound because of a cast on her leg. Crystal meant the world to Dick, as did his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He often shared stories about them that resonated with pride and happiness. Sadly, Crystal passed away in 1988 and, in his sorrow, Dick became depressed. That November, he did not welcome the upcoming holiday season, but his understanding family made this offer: If Dick found something he could throw himself into, then they would help him do whatever he chose.

As it happened, Dick attended a Marine Corps meeting and came home talking about Toys for Tots, an organization that gives Christmas toys to children of families in need. With the help of his own family, Dick collected, wrapped and delivered toys to 50 children. That was the beginning of the Central Michigan Area Toys for Tots, and the generosity only continued. In 2012, a record number of 8,200 toys were given to 2,900 children. By then, the task had become a permanent family tradition, with his daughter Lucinda Clark taking over the organization in 2008. Even then and up to the present, Dick stayed involved and helped out whenever he was needed. Toys for Tots was a true passion of his heart. In fact, he felt that he had a predetermined job to do on earth, and the only reason he survived the trap in Korea was because he was meant to come back and give toys to children in need. What an amazing legacy of devotion and service.