A Memorial Service celebrating the life of Richard Farris Schaal will be held on Saturday, October 29 at Calvary Baptist Church in Bay City at 10am. The service will be led by Rev. Chester Sassman. Richard, age 60, passed away on August 25, 2016 in his residence in Cleveland, Texas following a lengthy illness.

A former longtime resident of Bay City, Richard was born in Houston on August 26, 1955 to Evelyn and Alfred Schaal of Bay City. He made his commitment to walk in faith at Calvary Baptist Church and in his adult years he was a faithful member of Living Waters Church of Bay City, where he was a member of the Praise and Worship team.

Richard showed an early ability in athletics, and spent summers playing baseball under the coaching of Odie Sweeny, later catching for the Lions in the Bay City Babe Ruth League, and playing on the All Star team every season of his participation.

He graduated from Bay City High School in 1973, and lived in the Texas Gulf Coast area for the remainder of his life. His love of baseball made him a faithful fan of the Houston Astros, and he also played in various slow-pitch leagues in the Matagorda County area, and later coached Little League Baseball in Bay City.

He was a talented musician playing guitar and piano, performing vocally, and operating sound for various groups. He also worked as a popular radio broadcaster for several radio stations in the Bay City and Galveston County area. In 1985 he retired from Phillips 66 in Sweeny, Texas, and opened Richard's Music, selling equipment and instruments in the Bay City area. His later employment with Continental Airlines and in the freight industry led him to at last settle in the North Houston area. He loved to travel, and his love of the series "Northern Exposure" led him to Alaska, where he enjoyed fishing and nature.

Richard is preceded in death by his parents, Evelyn and Alfred Schaal. He is survived by his daughter Rikki Schaal of Conroe, Texas; and by his sons Tim Schaal and wife Jackie, and Stephen Schaal of Lebanon, Ohio; and by his step-sons Clinton Hernandez and Bryce Cook of Conroe, Texas. Richard was a proud grandfather to Alayna Schaal, Maya Schaal, Alex Schaal, Jonah Schaal, and Haleigh Hernandez. He is also survived by brother Charles Schaal of Kasson, MN, and sisters Melanie Schaal Wofford and Allyson Schaal Moore of McAllen, TX, and Stacey Schaal Shuman of Dallas, TX.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations will be made to the Vasculitis Foundation at http://www.vasculitisfoundation.org/donate/ways-to-give/