Dave Richmond, the husband of our beloved church staff member Vicky Lee, died in 2023. Dave wrote for Rolling Stone Magazine and worked at Glide for 33 years. Here is what Janice Mirikitani wrote about Dave, when he retired from Glide:
“Dave has been with Glide for more than 33 years. During his time with us, Glide has grown our dozens of programs, built three permanent affordable housing buildings, and organized dozens of city- and nationwide coalitions, marches, and has become an internationally renown destination for people from across the country and the world. Dave has been at the center and often times in the forward ranks of all efforts undertaken by Glide.
He has worked with both of us as the tireless organizer, the communications point, the writer, and even a ghost writer for Cecil’s first autobiography; the journalist for all of our beginning collateral materials, newsletters, and press announcements. He has stood beside Janice in helping with key events such as Mayor Willie Brown’s inaugural celebration which was a huge undertaking of bringing together entertainment and audiences from around the Bay Area. He has marched with us in causes for desegregation and justice not only in the City of San Francisco, but as far as Cummings, Georgia and San Angelo, Texas. Dave has been the essential glue that has helped us build our issue-focused coalitions to support political prisoners, parents in segregated neighborhoods, funding equity for small CBO’s, and building the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebrations of Northern California.
At Glide, Dave has been a central source of information, support and communication to essential partnerships in developing our first programs such as the Jobs programs, the Recovery programs, and bringing together the necessary elements for the now world acclaimed Glide Ensemble.
Dave Richmond has been our most trusted, loyal and hardworking colleague. He has been like the steady beacon, getting things done quietly, always with humility and kindness. He has been tireless in his work. His talented pen has captured history, brought out our realities and made them sing as stories on paper. He also brings people together, and has helped Glide become a model organization it is today of compassionate service, exciting Celebrations, and innovative programs, for the nation and the world. Dave has helped us all to keep from falling down, and has been the dependable hand to help pull us up when we needed him.
He has been with us in circumstances of great danger and great joy, of creation and even healthy deconstruction. We will gravely miss Dave Richmond, but know you join us in celebrating him, and wishing him every success and joy as he launches his new journey.”