Richard S. TAZELAAR, passed away on September 28, 1996, at the age of 82, from complications of a stroke he suffered on Sept. 6.
Born in Brooklyn, NY on Feb. 4, 1914 he came to San Diego at the age of 3 and lived in the county ever since.
He went to McKinley elementary school, in North Park, the first year it opened and took pride at being one of the oldest students at a recent alumni gathering. He transferred from San Diego HS to Hoover HS in 1930 the first year it opened, where he played baseball 1931 and basketball 1930, 31, 32. Upon graduation from Hoover, he went to SD State College the first year it opened in 1933. He joined the Eta Omega Delta (HOD's) fraternity, which later became Kappa Sigma in the 40's. While at State, he played basketball in 1933 and 1934, when the "Staters" won the Southern California Conference title. Art Linkletter was the captain and "they had to use two hands to shoot every basket back them". He dropped out of college to start a Chevron gas station business.
He married Phyllis Baldwin, a San Diego native, in 1940.
He became a SD Police Officer and then served in the Army-Air Corps during WWII. Upon discharge, he rejoined the San Diego Police department and retired after 26 years in 1968.
His last 15 years were with the Safety Patrol program, where he was known as "Officer Taz" by the students at McKinley, Brooklyn, Oak Park, Baker, Logan-Crocket, Balboa, Lowell, Burbank, Sherman, Emerson-Bandini, and Stockton elementary schools.
He then worked for the San Diego Unified School District as an Assistant to the Principal, working with the children during recess and assemblies for 10 years.
He was married to Phyllis for 53 years, until her passing in 1993. He is survived by their three children, Richard Jr., Nancy (Durham), both of San Diego, and Michael of Hooper, Utah; plus seven grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother, Ed Tazelaar, of El Cajon. Featheringill Mortuary is handling Cremation services, with placement in Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery Columbarium, after a memorial service at Ft. Rosecrans at 10 am on Monday, October 7, 1996.
OFFICER RICHARD S. TAZELAAR
BADGE 270
SDPD 10/01/1942 - 01/31/1968
02/04/1914 - 09/28/1996
THE THIN BLUE LINE
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