After a long hard-fought battle, Richard Tingley, 73, of Guild, departed this life on September 27. Rich was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer Tingley and mother, Nadine Moore Tingley.
Rich was born September 11, 1951, in Inglewood, California. Early in life he developed a passion for hot rods and race cars. Some of his favorite memories as a young boy included being smuggled into the racetrack by his older brother, Mike, and his friends. In his 30’s he bought the shell of a 1934 Chevy and built it from the ground up, customizing it to make it his own. His specialty was painting cars, and he painted his Chevy a beautiful ice blue pearl with ghost flames. It received compliments wherever he went and won many awards. He was so proud and carried a picture of it in his wallet along with photos of his girls.
Rich was first married to Norma Gillespie and they had a daughter, Brianna Marie. His second marriage of 38 years was to Sharon Jernigan. Music was an important part of their lives, and their first date was to a Heart concert. They attended many other concerts over the years, including two trips to Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. They travelled the U. S. together, visiting many states and seeking out quirky, interesting sites wherever they went.
Rich and Sharon had two more daughters, Michelle Renee and Julie Ann. He also had two granddaughters, Aubree Elise and Ava Grace. We joked that even all the various family dogs were females. Rich fiercely loved all his girls. When he passed, he had a grandson, Colton Blake, on the way and he was so excited about the pending arrival of the first boy in the family. Giving his future grandson a ride in his hot rod was high on his wish list.
Rich worked in the aircraft industry all his life as both a mechanic and in quality control. He was employed by Northrop Aircraft, ultimately working on the B-2 program, a source of great pride. He referred to the B-2 stealth bomber as “My Baby”. After moving to Macon, Georgia, he worked for Robins Air Force Base, where he retired in 2015.
After retirement, Rich and Sharon moved to Guild to a house overlooking the Tennessee River. Rich so enjoyed sitting on his deck and taking in the magnificent view. In his last days of life in his home, his hospital bed faced that view.
All his girls will miss him terribly but will ensure that his memory lives on in his new and highly anticipated baby grandson, whose first outing will surely be to the racetrack!
A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Tate Funeral Home, LLC, 950 Mel Dixon Lane, Jasper, Tennessee (423) 942-9500. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.tatefh.com.
The Marion Tribune – October 3, 2024
