1949 – 2013
Long-time Orindan Richard Dale “Dick” Prince died peacefully in his sleep on June 20, 2013, after a short bout with pancreatic cancer. He passed away at his home in Sonoma, surrounded by family. He was 63.
Mr. Prince was born Sept. 7, 1949, in Oakland, Calif., the third of five children. He grew up in Orinda and at age 15, moved to Bombay, India, with his family for a year.
In 1967, Mr. Prince graduated from Campolindo High School in Moraga, where he had been an all-star basketball and football player. He received a football scholarship to the University of Arizona in Tucson and played 2 years for the Wildcats. His team went to the Sun Bowl.
In 1971 he transferred to the University of California at Berkeley, where he graduated with a degree in psychology. He married his high school sweetheart, Linda Strecker, that same year.
Mr. Prince left Lamorinda and the Bay Area for Napa, built a home with his wife and two daughters and opened Sawtooth Cabinetry in Napa in 1975. He remained in that business for 30 years before retiring in 2007.
An avid amateur herpetologist and bird watcher, Mr. Prince realized a childhood dream of living in a jungle tree house – building one at the family’s second home in San Pancho, Mexico.
His many friends described him as a generous, humorous, and compassionate man – one of the “good guys.”
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Linda (Strecker) Prince; his daughters, Amber (Prince) Orozco and Heather (Prince) Hartgrave; his grandchildren, Desiderio Orozco, Clayton Hartgrave and Cambria Hartgrave; his brothers, Bill Prince, Ron Prince (wife Jane Prince); his sister, Caryn Prince (husband Doug Bates); and numerous nieces and nephews. Mr. Prince is predeceased by his father, Richard Prince; his mother, Marjorie Prince; and his sister, Cathie Prince.
A memorial is scheduled for Sunday, July 28, at 2 p.m. at St. Andrew Church in Sonoma. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to Hospice of Petaluma at 416 Payran St., Petaluma, CA 94952 (707-778-6242).
