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The Regent College community is sad to note the passing of one of the College’s founders and early leaders. On June 11, 2025, Richard L. (Dick) Richards passed into the presence of the God he had faithfully served for many years.

Throughout his life, Dick Richards held significant leadership roles in Vancouver’s business community and in Christian organizations such as World Vision and the Sovereign Order of St. John. He was also one of the young congregants of Granville Chapel whom Marshall Sheppard recruited in 1964 for the School of Theology Committee, which later became the Regent College Board of Governors.

When Regent College opened in summer 1969, Dick took the role of Treasurer of the Board. A chartered accountant who later worked in real estate, Dick used his considerable expertise to give shape to the Regent College Foundation, the predecessor to Regent College 2000 Foundation, which holds the College's endowments.

In the late 1970s and 1980s, Dick served as Chair of Regent’s Board. In this role he steered the college through a very challenging period of growth, providing wise counsel, fiscal discipline, and godly guidance to a generation of Regent leaders while providing vitally important links with public and private sector institutions.

Former Regent College Principal Carl Armerding described Dick as “the single most influential board leader in Regent’s first half century. From the early sixties until his death, he served as a close friend and valued adviser to each successive generation of Regent leaders.”

In just one example of his influence, it was Dick who worked with Carl Armerding to purchase the land that now houses Regent’s John Richard Allison Library—for one dollar.

Director of Advancement Richard Thompson shared the story of how that remarkable purchase unfolded.

“In the mid-1980s, Regent’s leaders determined that the College would need more than the two lots it already owned to build a suitable facility for the growing school. Dick thought it would be prudent to acquire the adjacent lot at the corner of University Boulevard and Wesbrook Mall. At the time, however, that property was owned by the provincial government—and the local Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) thought the site should house a new hotel.

“To test the arguments behind that proposal, Dick hired a hotel company to do some market research. Well, what the company found was that there wasn’t any market for a hotel at that location.

“With this new information in hand, Dick and Carl Armerding met with the Boards of the University of British Columbia and UBC Hospital and received their blessing to acquire the property—if they could convince the province. They then met with the MLA, shared their finding that a hotel on the site wouldn’t be viable, and thus gained his support. This, in turn, led to a momentous meeting with the provincial minister in charge of lands—the result of which was the sale of the lot to Regent College for a dollar.

“The condition of that sale was that the College would maintain the lot as a public park—as indeed it has. Of course, underneath that park is our wonderful library.

Richard concluded, “Dick loved telling that story. For him, it was a story of God’s remarkable provision for the College. Praise God that he was able to work through Dick at this critical moment in Regent’s history!”

Dick continued to actively support Regent College long after that sale went through. President Jeff Greenman commented, "Over the past decade, Dick Richards was my constant encourager and cheerleader. Until his dying day, Dick cared deeply about Regent's flourishing and supported our ministry with thoughtful interest. He leaves a strong legacy of dedicated servant leadership."

A keen follower of Jesus, Dick was also active in Christian ministry well beyond Regent College. He served as a respected lay leader in Vancouver’s church community, first at Granville Chapel and later at St. John's Vancouver Anglican Church. In his leadership role at World Vision Canada, he contributed to the foundation of VisionFund, an international microfinance organization focused on helping families and communities move out of poverty by providing basic financial services.

Dick is survived by his wife, Marilyn, two sons and their families, and a host of friends. In the words of Carl Armerding, “We mourn with his family, while rejoicing that he is now with the Saviour he loved and served for so many years.” He was 89 years old.

This post will be updated when arrangements for Dick’s memorial service have been finalized.