He was born in Brooklyn, New York. According to his sister, Nettie, he was one of the most handsome dark-skinned children, she had ever saw in her life. In 1947, at the age of three, Gonzalo sent his son to Lancaster, South Carolina with his aunt, Ruby Sowell, and her husband, Johnnie. His aunt Dollie McDow escorted him to Lancaster. He visited his parents in New York every summer until he grew up. He lived in Lancaster, South Carolina until he was 17 years old. He graduated from Eastern High School in June 1962. Because of the harsh treatment in South Carolina, he lied about his age and decided to join the U.S. Marine Corps.
He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on June 25, 1962. He did 13-week basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina. He did his advance training in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was in the military from 1962-1977.
He met Betty M. Eley in 1964 in Honolulu, Hawaii. They had a son, Darryl, in May 1965. He did two tours of duty in the Vietnam War (June 25, 1965-June 1968). During a return home to the United States, he met Herbadine Darrington whom he had a daughter, Luwana, in March 1967. He returned to Vietnam for his second tour which had already began but returned to the states in June 1968. He wrote a letter that verified the paternity of his son, Darryl.
He visited his son, Darryl, in Portsmouth, Virginia in April 1970. He took his son to met his family who had just moved to Suffolk, Virginia. He wouldn't see his son until 1973. Richard returned to Brooklyn, New York where he was born.
In 1973, after a brief visit with his son, he returned to New York. On May 11, 1974, while visiting his sister Nettie, Richard decided to visit his son in Chuckatuck where he lived with his mother. He brought his sister, Nettie, her husband, Jimmie, and their children; Vanessa, Karl Lee, and Shonte'. This was the last visit that he would have with his son for more than eleven years.
In 1977, he became ill and was hospitalized for post-dramatic stress disorder. He was treated and released.
He was in Jefferson, South Carolina, when he met Annie Johnson. They had a daughter, Regina Lee Johnson on December 27, 1980, in Jefferson, South Carolina. He was told not to let his daughter know who her father was at any time in the future. Regina continues to live in Jefferson, South Carolina today.
He was a long-distance truck driver from 1977-1984. He traveled from New York City to Louisana on his trips. There are many photos of his trips up and down the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico.
He was a security guard at Harper and Row Books in New York City from 1984-1989. He was also a certified firemen. On January 8, 1985, he reunited with his son, Darryl, after being separated from 11 years. On February 14, 1985, they were united physically in the Bronx, New York. He lived with his uncle, John T. McDow who was also a security guard. It was a week of re acquaintance which lasted from February 14, 1985-February 21, 1985. After 11 years of searching for him his son, Darryl, found him living in the Bronx, New York to find the true meaning of family research.
He lived at 1454 Grand Concourse, Apt I, and in Roosevelt Gardens in the Bronx, New York from 1987-1992. In 1992, his foster mother, Ruby Sowell died in Lancaster, South Carolina. He visited Suffolk often to see his sisters and their family. In 1991, he was diagnosed with cancer.
He moved to Lancaster, South Carolina where he lived at 123 Willowlake Drive in Lancaster in an area known as the Quiet Zone. In December 1993, his sisters, Nettie Bivins and Norma Jean Austin, brought him to Virginia because he had gotten very ill. He was admitted into the Kecoughtan Veteran's Hospital in Hampton, Virginia.
In a letter dated October 15, 1992, he wrote to his son, Darryl, and explained some of the things about his life that he didn't want his son to repeat. The letter helped his son tremendously. His son began focusing on his family history even more. "Treat your mother right, be yourself, and don't feel like being too tough is the answer, because you are not ready to lose it all" he told his son.
"My father and I lost contact with each other for over two years. The same barriers that kept us apart for eleven years had began again".
On January 27, 1994, I was contacted by telephone about his father's illness. He had a short time to prepare for the oncoming death of his father. Two weeks later, on February 7, 1994, my father and I would see each other for the last time. I had a feeling that I would not see my father alive again. On February 13, 1994, my father couldn't keep his eyes open. I think he made peace with God at that time.
He died on February 16, 1994 at 2:45 P.M. at the Kecoughtan Hospital in Hampton, Virginia. I received a call at work about my father making a turn for the worse. I worked hard that night when I said, "I know that he is dead".
His body was shipped to Crawford Funeral Home for burial in Kershaw, South Carolina. His body was viewed at 12:00 P.M. on February 19, 1994. His wake was held on February 19, 1994 at Crawford Funeral in Lancaster, South Carolina. He was buried at Crossroad Baptist Church on February 20, 1996 at the foot of his father in the McDow Family Plot in Kershaw, South Carolina.
My father was a stern, hardworking man, who was love by many. He had a hard life which his foster parents and foster siblings. After his death, Mendell Sowell, his cousin and foster brother had a chance to talk to me about my father. He said "You are the splitting image of your father from the way you talk and the way you react to certain things. He talk about his kids, especially you. He was afraid for your life but when you said that you were through with all of what you went through, he was happy".
I wanted to get to know my father but time caught us in the wrong way and the only time, I got to know him, was the last nine years of his life. Two years after his death, I got chance to got back to his grave site and seen the military tombstone made for him. He will be missed. I will see you again.