Richard Fast

Richard Harold Fast, 91, of Chico, passed away surrounded by his family on July 10, 2010, after a brief illness. He was born on May 13, 1919 in Topeka, Kansas, to Harold Lewis Fast and Lucille Gladys Flora Hothan. He graduated from Glendale High School. At Glendale Junior College he served as president of the associate men students, was an award-winning swimmer and a member of the football team. At the age of twenty, he served as the crew member for the Indy 500 race and drove the race car across country. He began training as a pilot in a Porterfield with instructor Gus Parish in Santa Maria, trained further at Randolph, as a member of the class of 40G, and Kelly Fields, Texas. On December 23, 1941, he married Virginia Mary Ann Maag at the Randolph Army Air Corps Field Chapel in San Antonio. During WWII, he commanded four detachments, flying modified Lockheed Hudsons to Brazil against German submarine activities, served as lead formation of Liberators over Mindanao, Philippines, and was appointed operations officer of the Red Raiders heavy bomber unit of the Fifth Air Force. After the war, he went back to school and received a BA from the College of Redlands. He continued his education at Chico State, working in the local VA office, served as a delegate to President Harry Truman's Midcentury White House Conference on Children and Youth in December of 1950 and was recalled at the outbreak of the Korean War. Thereupon he served in the Air Force in the United States and Europe where he was assigned to NATO. He received the American Defense Service Medal of 1939/41 and the Air Force Commendation Medal for meritorious achievement among other recognitions. He retired from the Air Force as Lt. Colonel. He went as an administrator in the Civil Service to build dependent schools in Europe. After he retired to Chico, he was appointed to the Silver Dollar Fair Board by Governor Jerry Brown in 1978 and served until 1985. During the early 1980's he served as the Democratic Party Chair of Northern California. Richard was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ann, and his mother and father. Richard is survived by his brother, Charles Glenn Fast and his family; three daughters, Susanne Obaid, Virginia Fast and Margaret Fast-VanBoer; and grandchildren, Ahmed, Sammy, Dina and Fatma Obaid. The family will hold private services, and has requested that donations be made in his memory to the First Christian Church Memorial Fund in lieu of flowers.