Paul Frediani

Richie you were my best friend. I will never forget you.

"The only service a friend can really render is to keep up your courage by holding up to you a mirror in which you can see a noble image of yourself." -
-- George Bernard Shaw

Janis San Filippo Barinsky

I did not know Richard during our high school years but met him at the Wells Fargo Bank in Auburn Ca. where I worked in 2004. We shared high school memories over coffee from time to time. He talked mostly about his daughter Sarah and her many accomplishments and adventures. He was very proud of her and you could tell they were very close. Some time after that he told me of his illness. That is when I met his lovely daughter Sarah and helped them both make sure his banking was in order. It was in August of 2005 that Sarah came into the bank to tell me of Richard's passing. I had just lost my father that same month so we shared our loss and sorrow together, finding some comfort in the stories about our fathers. Although my memories of Richard are not many I will remember him as a very proud father who loved and adored his daughter, a man who could show this love openly and freely even with those he did not know well at all.

Robert Beede

Schultz was just the best! How could anyone not love him! I cannot even remember how we first hooked up..I think it was through Guy Ellis, one year ahead of the 1970 class, but one of my lifetime friends. We all started surfing together about the same time. None of us had driver's licenses when we first began, so my brother, Tom, three years my senior, would take us all in "Evie", our 1954 Olds 88 two door coupe (check it out and how I looked in 1974 at my site!). We would make the rounds early in the morning, picking up Shultzy, the Frediani's (Paul and Enrico, but Paul almost always came) and Guy. Then off we went, up Skyline to Pacifica, to surf Pedro Point. There was no parking lot then, just sand. No bathroom either..we peed next to the car! Flash Gordon was the hot surfer at Pedro, and Frediani was the best of us. Schutz was the coolest, cause he had a Hobie. I wish I had that board now! Schultz also LOOKED like a surfer!

Shultzy was always the life of the party, telling story about his last adventure. He told some great ones, with lots of annimation; waving his arms, changing the tone of his voice, and acting out "the love scene"! I admired and revered Schultz and Paul, cause I was always afraid I was going to get into trouble I could not get out of, and they were always "living on the edge", kinda like James Dean! Of course both of them were studs! The girls loved them! We ALL loved Diane Spence! She was (and probably still is!) such a sweetie with such a great personality! Hey Paul, remember Cindy Grassberger, and how she and Rich would get into disagreements, break up, then get back together?It was like a saga! Cindy was SOOOO cute!

Anyway, Frediani and Shultz wore boxer shorts, and changed in the parking lot. Of course, there were always attempts at pulling the other guy's shorts down, while one was squirming into their wetsuit, which was only an O'Neil Farmer John in those days (imagine a tanktop and shorts in black!).

I was the pussy of the group during the time we went to the beach together. Once we got driver's licenses, we did not see as much of each other anymore. I think the only person Schultz towed the line for was his mom. She was a parole officer, and she could see right through us, and whatever antics we were up to! Schultz also told us to "cool it" before we went into the house, especially if we had been "smoking"!

One thing I always loved about Rich...he never gave up his friendship with you! Regardless or whether or not you were hanging with him, he always greeted you like you had just showed up to go to the beach together!

This was true even twenty years after high school! We reconnected at the reunion, where he wore a "Universe Jacket" made out of Tyvek that glowed with a constalation in the dark after you exposed it to a Blacklite! I can still see him, struting around the party, glowing in his jacket! Afterwards, I went up to Auburn to see him and his mom, who was living close by. Schultzy was driving locomotive over Donner's pass then. I think Diane Spence's dad might have helped Rich become an engineer. Wow, you should have heard some of the story Shultz told about going over the pass in a blizzard! The train is a mile long, and it is a complete whiteout, with the snowblower howling, shooting snow like a Wiamea closeout off the tracks! He said it was nerve racking; he expected the train to derail at any minute!

We vowed to see one another again. I bought one of the glowing jackets, and still have it. But somehow.., it just does not look the same on me as it did Schultzy. One day, a package showed up in my mailbox. It was a giant Sante Fe Railroad patch, about 6 inches in diameter! I called Rich and thanked him for thinking of me. We vowed to take time to see one another again, but never got to before he died, I believe from some type of respiratory illness, possibly linked to driving train.

I took time to write about Rich, because he was a big part of my HS and teenage experience, one of those "larger than life" personalities that weld themselves to your life definition. Schultz also defined friendship...an enduring bond between individuals that is lasting over all things! I made the mistake to being too busy to go see a favorite HS buddy of mine,and now I will have to wait to do so. Promise yourself TODAY that this will not happen to you! Take time for your Bros! Best to all! Bob Beede

Gregory Paulsen

I was shocked to hear that Rich had died so young. There are not enough words to describe him, though Bob tried. He was a good friend and always upbeat. Sorry to have not seen or talked to him since High School.Glad to have known him.

Jeffrey Greenwald

I heard he went to work for SP; that's the last I heard.

I remember I talked up Tori Vasey to him so much he went after her!!

It only took me about 30 years to figure out that's not such a good idea. ;-)

I liked him a lot. He was a good buddy.

Paul Frediani

Robert

Thanks for the wonderful memories of Richie. You captured him perfectly, whch is kinda hard to do because pinning down Richie was like trying to corner a great middleweight fighter. LOL! I'll tell you more about his final years when I see you at the reunion.

Paul

John Gilderbloom

Rich Shulz was a cool cat.  He was beloved by both girls and boys.  He lived life on the edge.  The frist time I met him, it was in Seventh grade and we were flirting with some hot girls.  the parents were gone from the house and to my shock pulled out a bottle of Janck Daniles and started drinking it on the sidewalk.   Girls just adored him and I am sure by tthe senth grade Richie was at least to 3rd base if not home with several middle school girls compared to most of us who were lucky to get to first base.   At times he would remind you of the lead character in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". In high school he gave a riveting book report on the life of Malcolm X that I still reember as over the top. Amazin.  I think he convinced everyone iin that class to go out and buy this forbidden book.  No notes, waving the book, and talking like Malcolm was his fellow brother in arms.  I think Richie related to Malcolm in terms of how they both lead their lives of drinking, drugs and  easy sex but trying to find more out of life by going on a spiritual mission.  I spent the summer of 1969 in Lake Tahoe which was a life changing expeirence for me.  My hair was a lot longer, I chose to quit swimming, worried about being drafted,  and got political.  I wanted to organize something  in high school that was political SDS (Students for Democratic Society) with Kathy Newman who was then the editor of the Thunderbolt.  Dennis Leung was also involved.  So we called for a meeting on the grass of the football field and with twenty-five persons showing up.   Richie showed up looking like a young Marlon Brando and the group had instant "cred"  Richie threaded the needle and said we want to be treated  with respect and address social issues like the Vietnam war and to work with Cesar Chavez on stopping Safeway from selling scab grapes.  So with Richie and Dennis Leung we went down to Millbrae Safeway and helped put out leaflets and  got customers to go elsewhere.   Later on SDS put together film showings and mobilized the shutdown of Mills for an afternoon after Kent State.  Rich was a natural leader and had charisma.   I wa never part of Richie;s inner circle but he was always nice