It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our dear, much beloved dad, brother, uncle, and best friend Dave. He died on May 31, 2022, as a result of the apartment house fire in Salt Lake City on Memorial Day.
Dave was the eighth child, fourth son, of Joan Gost and Hyrum Haydn Richards, who both preceded him in death. He was born in Ogden, Utah on July 28, 1961. Raised in the Salt Lake area, he attended SLC schools, graduating from Highland High in 1979, where he excelled in wrestling, track and field, and golf.
He was a well-known figure in the Salt Lake handball and squash communities. Dave was a naturally gifted athlete and had spent thousands of hours perfecting his skills; and his hard work paid off, winning tournaments in both handball and squash. His outstanding competitive spirit was unmistakable. He had great passion for sports and loved sharing his enthusiasm with others and relished every teaching opportunity that came his way. Although sports were a dominant part of his life for many years, his curiosity extended to all aspects of the world around him. He was a champion of the underdog, had a tender heart, and was a quirky, colorful character. A great conversationalist and listener, Dave recognized the humanity in everyone.
He played in local and regional squash tournaments and the national squash tournament in NYC. He had the opportunity to travel to Australia, his mom’s homeland, where he held dual citizenship, and the United Kingdom. He became king of the court at the Deseret Gym, where he worked alongside his brothers Steve and Robbie for several years.
Subsequently, he met Barbara Ruybal and they had two beautiful daughters, Katelyn and Amylia. When Barbara died, Katie and Amylia were adopted and lovingly raised by members of the Ruybal, Soderquist, and Richards families. Even though Dave couldn’t be with them every day, being a good dad was foremost in his mind.
David is survived and adored by his daughters and their partners, Katie (fiancé Highland McKenna) and Amylia (Braxton Chase); siblings John (Joan), Robbie, Steven, Jan (Glenn), Joan (Leo), Anne; and numerous nephews and nieces and their families, who are utterly shattered and broken hearted by this great loss. Preceded in death by his parents and sister Karen and her daughter Nicole, brother-in-law Al, and infant nephew Lenard.
To Dave’s dear friend Kaye Terry, we would like to express our special thanks for all her love, kindness, and friendship.
We miss you already, Dave. You are woven into the fabric of our lives and in our hearts forever. A celebration is planned for family and friends whose hearts Dave has touched throughout the years.
I am so sad to hear about Dave’s death. He and I went through school together from elementary school through high school. He also played squash with my husband. He was such a talented athlete! I remember in grade school he was always a team captain and You knew if you were picked for his team you would be on the winning team. He was a beautiful squash player . Always in the finals and so fun to watch. I also remember how kind he was. I am so sorry for your loss. 🙏
