Obituary of Richard Edward Mussallem II

Richard Edward Mussallem died peacefully at his home on March 26, 2020 surrounded by his loving family and loyal caregivers, who will dearly miss him. The cause of death was congestive heart failure. Born August 14, 1940 in San Francisco to Richard Edward Mussallem and Edith Mussallem (née Farrell), he is survived by his children, Alexandra Mussallem (John Akapo), Richard Mussallem (Trina Cisneros), and Nicholas Mussallem (Marisa Mussallem); grandchildren, Gavin Mussallem, Sophie Akapo, Chloe Mussallem, Tessa Mussallem, and Calla Mussallem; siblings, Neil Mussallem (Loret), Greg Mussallem (Patricia), Larry Mussallem (Maria), and Ann Mussallem Alioto (Lawrence), and brother-in-law, Michael Dunne; and many nieces and nephews. Richard was predeceased by his parents, his brother, Stephen Mussallem, and his sister, Joan Dunne. Richard was a native San Franciscan. He attended Saint Ignatius High School, where he played football (#77) until his senior year and earned the nickname “Big Moose”, before going on to Santa Clara University. He started his career in the lumber industry in 1963, working for Dickinsons Lumber Company in Cloverdale as a lumber buyer. In the late 1960’s and the 1970’s Richard co-founded Remco Forest Products and eventually began working with his uncle, Roger Farrell, selling wood trusses. In 1980, he founded Builders Truss and Lumber Company in Morgan Hill. He operated Builders Truss and Lumber until he sold the property on which the manufacturing was located (he called it “The Yard”) in 1992. From the early 1990’s until shortly before his death, Richard continued to work in the lumber industry and also invested in rental properties. At the age of 6, Richard had his first driving experience, rolling the family car down Escolta Way in San Francisco into a fishpond. This started a life-long love affair with cars. His first car was a 1955 Plymouth, handed down to him by his Uncle Roger, which he transformed into a hot rod. While he was working for Dickinsons Lumber, he purchased a Lotus 19 and converted a travel trailer into a car transport. He purchased a 1963 Dodge Valiant Station Wagon and hauled his Lotus 19 around California, beginning his road racing career. He trained at the Bob Bondurant Racing School at Sears Point. Although he stopped racing after the birth of his children, he continued to love cars, owning, at various times throughout his life, a Lamborghini and a series of Porsches. While traveling with his daughter in Europe in his late 50’s and 60’s, he would always rent the latest model Alfa Romeo and keep up with the Europeans on the German Autobahn and the Italian Autostrada. He couldn’t stand what he called “Sunday Drivers”. Richard’s main passion, however, was the sport of soccer. He was dedicated throughout his life to coaching and leading youth soccer. He started by coaching his children in the Mustang Soccer League in the Danville/Alamo area. After his children grew up, he began coaching his nieces and nephews. He was particularly proud of his niece, Lauren Mussallem Bresky, and all that she achieved in her soccer career. In 2008, he pioneered a competitive soccer league in Salinas, which until that time had only had a recreational soccer league. Building on the success of that league (El Camino Real), Richard and his best friend, Sergio Herrera, started a 501(c)(3) non-profit, competitive soccer club for the youth of Salinas and the surrounding communities of Monterey County. That league, begun In 2017, was the El Camino Football Club (ECFC). The ECFC, of which Richard served as President until his death, became one of the most successful and recognized soccer clubs in all of Northern California. Richard pushed for and succeeded in bringing a Professional Development Program to Salinas. The Program was very successful; five players have gone on from the Program to play for the U.S. National Team. Richard’s dedication brought competitive soccer to hundreds of Latino children throughout Salinas and the Monterey area, many of them the children of migrant farm workers. Because of his efforts, and the efforts of many volunteers, hundreds of children had the opportunity to play competitive soccer with expert coaches. Richard was always very proud of the level of technical knowledge and expertise with which the league’s players were coached. He impacted the lives of countless children and teens, providing an outlet and an opportunity to excel in competitive soccer and, in many cases, a road to college. Throughout his coaching life, he always made an effort to get kids to practice and games, often driving around and picking kids up from their homes himself. His field was a safe space for kids, and he served as a mentor to many from the 1970’s through the end of his life. Richard loved to be out in nature. Before his health declined, he loved to backpack and fish with his sons, and would often go on weekend hikes in Big Sur or on Mount Madonna. He loved music, and he loved to dance. He was an independent man and traveled to many places in the world, either with his children or on his own. He particularly loved to travel to Spanish-speaking countries such as Mexico, where he had many friends, and Colombia. Now freed from his earthly body, his family hopes he is traveling to all of the places he always wanted to go. Richard’s children wish to extend heartfelt and deep gratitude to his devoted friends, particularly Sergio Herrera and his mother, Amada Herrera, and to Richard’s devoted caregivers, Jamie Roberts and Tammy Colon, who cared for him through the end of his life and helped him pass on. The family also wishes to thank Majestic Hospice. Richard would want any donations in his name made to the El Camino Football Club Salinas at www.ecfcsalinas.com/donate/ or mail check to 19750 Pinehurst Lane, Salinas, CA 93906 Richard’s children will announce a celebration of their father’s life in the upcoming months.