Richard Davis LaMonte

Memorial services celebrating the life of Richard Davis LaMonte, 63, of Garland, TX will be held at 12:00 PM Monday September 24, 2018 at New Hope Funeral Home in Sunnyvale Texas. Richard was born October 30th, 1954 in St. Louis, MO and passed away on September 19th, 2018. Rick will be forever loved by those that knew him well. He was preceded in death by his Parents, Harvey and Charlotte LaMonte; his sister Vicki LaMonte. Rick is survived by his loving wife Julie LaMonte, Sons Tim and Ben LaMonte, Sisters Cheri Yagus, Karyn Buckner, and Loryn Ernst; Brother Gary LaMonte; Grand Children Loryn and Tristan LaMonte. “The Hippies Were RIght” For years Dad walked around in a shirt with this proclamation. He reveled in the total strangers that would come up to him and ask, “about what?” He’d smile and say, “I have no idea, but they were right.” Later it was Stalin, his majestic long haired German Shepherd, that he took everywhere. Like the shirt, the dog drew people to Dad so that he could smile and share his love of life with strangers. Along with his passion for people and love for his dogs was a 43 year career coaching in the Dallas area. On any given night you could find him on a ball field or in some batting cages, Stalin by his side, laughing with parents and teaching kids. His ability to combine his loves gave him a cultish type following of loving ex players and families. Dad was an ex hippy artist, turned workaholic who sold his favorite stereo to give his oldest son a summer pass to Wet N Wild, turned ultra competitive select baseball coach, turned the jolly Grandpa of DFW baseball. He was a very happy man that lead the life he wanted to live and on his terms. He had zero interest on being conventional but one hundred percent interest on being honest and true to himself. I am forever grateful for that gift that he passed down to me and Ben. He gave us the tools and then he allowed us, without judgement, to be unconventional and find our own paths to happiness. I will miss the baseball talks, I will miss the corny jokes, I will miss hearing the same stories over and over again, but most of all I will miss the anchor he was for our family.