Richard Ethen Koon
January 26, 1951 ~ February 16, 2009
Resided in:
Weaverville, NC
Asheville Butterfly Trail
Dr. Richard Ethen Koon
Weaverville ~ Dr. Richard Ethen Koon, 58, of Weaverville, NC died on Monday, February 16, 2009 at his residence.
Dr. Koon was born in Lexington, Kentucky and was a son of Gladys Ogsbury Koon of Asheville and of the late Dr. Ethen Sease Koon, Jr.
Richard graduated from Asheville High School and at which time was an avid competitive junior golfer. He received his undergraduate degree from N.C. State University and went on to receive his Medical Degree from Duke University. He practiced Psychiatry in West Virginia for several years before moving to North Carolina. In 1977 he founded the Charleston, West Virginia Rugby Football Club.
In addition to his mother, he is survived by three brothers; Christopher Koon of Fairview, William Koon of Raleigh, NC and Fred Koon or Arden.
A memorial service will be held Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 4:00 pm in the Chapel of Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian.
The family will receive friends immediately following the service at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to a charity of one's choice.
to Richard’s family,
we are with you in remembering Richard in his healthy and good days.
May you all be filled with love and peace.
Blessings to you,
David and Susan Hickerson
I was shocked and sadden by the news of Richard’s passing. I immediately called 2 of my friends who knew him and we talked about all our golfing memories together. Richard wrote in my yearbook the following: Man, your an All-American bum. I hope the Army gets you after your back heals, not really, but I wish you would give me a few golf lessons. It’s been fun to meet you and here you talk about Joan Gregg, Judy Norwood, Terry Lipinsky and Pussy Galore etc. I hope you don’t follow Bob Barron’s footsteps. Good luck to Ronald McDonald. Richard (Goldwater, Casper) Koon. Those who knew him for a long time will understand the meaning of his words. Everytime I saw him he was either playing golf, sometimes with me, or practicing on the driving range. He was a great golfer and a good guy to be around with on the golf course. My friends and I would follow him during the golf tournaments rooting for him every step of the way. Even though I haven’t seen him in probably 35 years, I won’t forget the days I spent with him at the old Asheville Country Club because playing golf with Richard made you a better golfer. I remember the day he called me at home wanting me to play a practice round, before some tournament because they were short one man to make eight. I was superstitious about playing the day before a tournament but he talked me into playing. I shot 73 but the next day, the first day of the tournament, I shot 86. Some of that was nerves but a lot of it was not playing with the caliber of golfers I played with the day before like Richard. If he hadn’t gone into the medical field I’m sure he could have been a professional golfer. His dedication to the sport was amazing. My mom, Jeanne Smith, who knows Gladys and I send our condolences to the family. We’re sorry for your loss.
What a shock, to say the least, in hearing of the passing of Richard Koon. I met Richard while attending Lee Edwards when I moved from California to Asheville in 1966. I had the extreme good fortune to have Richard ask me to partner with him in the 1968 Beaver Lake 4 Ball Invitational. As my Dad always said, dress well and bring a good partner. Well I did and we came in 2nd. place. I have very fond memories of those 2 days of golf with Richard. His golf skills were levels above mine so it was quite the honor for him to ask me to partner with him. God Bless Richard and his family. He will be missed.
My thoughts and prayers go with all of you. He will be remembered fondly and respected for all his early achievements.
John C.
Richard and I were roommates our freshman year at NCSU. We barely knew each other at Lee Edwards but I learned a lot about the ambitious, over achiever who was just as consumed by having fun as he was with perfection in all his endeavors. I’m sure that my astonishment at his untimely death pales in comparison to his family’s grief. My consolences to all of you. Richard will be missed.
I worked with Richard for a year and a half while he was at WVU Behavioral Medicine in Charleston, WV. I had been hired to prepare a training on Mental Health and Aging for direct care workers in longterm care settings. Richard was very helpful in helping with a portion of that material.
Richard and I attended high school together at Lee Edwards HS. We shared rides together to and from school, especially during golf season. I very much admired Richard and the other upper classmen on our team. He used to tease me about my singing with the radio in the car. My thoughts and prayers go to his remaining family and friends.
I have a trove of memories of Richard. We were classmates in school, teammates in Little League and competitors on the golf course. Mostly, we were boyhood chums, if you can be chums with someone who is larger than life. Without intending to, he set standards of excellence that most of us couldn’t meet. Richard paired a big intellect with an iron will to excel and a passion for independent thought. The combination was intimidating, but interesting too. And he was audacious — even at the age of 12 when he entered and won the 16 year-old age group of the CCA junior golf tournament, or at 13 when he supported Goldwater for President with a coherence that belied his age, or as a 7th grader when he showed up at the David Millard gym on a Saturday morning in the Fall to try out for the varsity (not JV) basketball team. I will always remember Richard fondly. My thoughts are with Mrs. Koon, William, Fred and Chris.
There is a sizeable gap in the world without Richard. From 1st grade through 12th, he was a kid who set the pace – smart, well-rounded, athletic, involved, leading whatever he was involved in at school. He was easy to be around, and I loved his big heart. I have lots of wonderful memories of those years. Richard is a special one because of his unique, ‘renaissance man’ approach to life, and because he was always so warm and friendly to me. Grace & peace to you, Mrs. Koon, and to Chris, Fred, and William as well.
Fondly, Mary Webb
I attended David Millard and Lee H. Edwards with Richard. Even though he didn’t know me well, Richard would always respond with a kind hello whenever I spoke to him in passing. Richard was quite an intellectual and a fine athlete as well. I think many individuals admired him and what he stood for in High School. He was truly a fine young man as I recall. How sad to hear of his passing. Richard will be deeply missed. My condolences go out to his family.
Richard (aka Koon Dog) will always hold a special place in my life. I was a charter member of the Charleston (WV) Rugby Club formed by Richard in 1977. He took me under his big wing and mentored me on the finer points of the game, both on and off the pitch. For over 20 years I remained active in the sport, and I consider former teammates among my dearest friends today. It was always a joy to visit with Richard on match days and share tales of our rugby adventures. He was a fierce and devoted competitor and a true legend of the game. Thank you for introducing me and so many others to the gentleman’s sport of rugby and the memorable social traditions affiliated with it, Koon Dog…Lace up the boots and strike a chorus of Chicken Train!
Rest in peace my friend.
Richard embodied the quest for fullness of life. Growing up, it was on the links where we spent many a day. I came in second, most of the time. His searching intellect and his refusal to accept the status quo set him apart. In that sense, he was larger than life. I remember with great fondness Richard’s successful campaign to become Senior Class President. I was privileged to be his campaign manager. It was an easy job!
Best wishes Mrs. Koon as you and Richard’s brothers live with this untimely loss.
David Sloop
For the past 2 years, I have felt honored and grateful to have had the pleasure of knowing and the heartache of not always understanding Dr. Richard Ethen Koon.
I will always remember the first time I met him sitting at his kitchen table in all his glory. We instantly had a familiar rapport, conversations from the heart, we were like two kindred souls finding each other again. He liked to call me his red-headed step-child.
The Richard I grew to love was an intelligent man, I even like to say a brilliant man, a man ahead of the times. He was a man of varied interests, especially people. A man who liked to get laughs with outlandish statements and behaviors. He was a man who knew his bible and was striving to broaden his Christian discipleship. A man who liked reminding others to love thy neighbor. His favorite prayer of late was A Prayer for Peace, by St. Francis of Assisi. He was a man who missed his father tremendously. Many times he expressed to me of the great comfort he felt when his dad would stand behind him and rest a hand on his shoulder. No words needed.
The Richard I knew was a very sensitive, feeling man who related to every Bruce Springsteen song. He was a passionate man who never held back.
I want to thank you Richard for your sharing and kindness. Also, your real and forced smiles that caused a twinkling in your eye. You were a special person and I will miss you with great eminence.
Rest in peace my friend.
I learned of Richard’s death two days ago when something prompted me to do an internet search for him. I had not been in contact with him for about 25 years. Seeing his obituary was a shock to say the least. It opened a floodgate of memories and tears. I met Richard when we worked together at WVU Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry in Charleston, WV. Our lives were deeply entwined for four years. We shared a love and a bond that was beyond this world and that defies description. Though our lives grew apart he has always been in my heart. My sincere sympathy to his mother Gladys and to his brothers William, Chris and Fred. Bon Voyage my Beloved Richard….