SSG Richard Feyjoo

Richard Feyjoo was born in Manhattan, New York at New York Woman’s Hospital on Jan 19 1957 to Carmen Torres. Richard’s family at the time consisted of his single mother and his siblings (which consisted of an older brother, a younger brother and his sister who was a year or two older than him). Due to circumstances, they went into foster care in late 1959- June 1968. Richard and his sister were raised by an Italian family with strong ethics and a Catholic upbringing. Richard, at the age of 12, connected again with his siblings and family members, cousins, aunts, uncles who today have nieces and nephews who have grown now and also have become adults. Being raised in the streets of New York; specifically in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York, Richard or as family referred to him as “RICHIE” was an inquisitive young man with enthusiasm to learn about life and living in Brooklyn. For a young 16 year old this vass new environment could possibly have lead him down the wrong path; however it was his mother “Carmen” who sent him on the straight and narrow path. It was at this young age of 16 where his mother set up a meeting at their home with a recruiter from the Armed Forces and joined the military. Richard was bright and eager, but was not accepting the thought of leaving his new home in Brooklyn, New York to come to a small city called Fayetteville, Ft Bragg, North Carolina. At 17, Richard began his new life and career in the Armed Forces. In the beginning, it was difficult for him to adapt to the Army way of life and would get into minor predicaments. He was now referred to as “RICK” and continued on his new path of many trials and tribulations of being a soldier. Rick pursued his Army career and joined the Special Forces, an elite group of men who were specially trained in combat training and other tasks. Rick specifically was in charge of “Communications” in his unit of 5-6 men. These special forces men in 5th group were called in to travel to countries such as Africa where he tried the local delicacy “ camel meat .” Special Forces training also involved learning the Greek language as he was also sent to Greece on assignment. Rick has seen many parts of our world and engaged in many war stricken zones such as Kuwait, Desert storm and others as part of the Special forces 5th Group Team. Today, there is a Special Forces museum developed on Fort Liberty for such assignments that demonstrates and recreates just deployment of our men in the Special Forces unit. After serving in the military for 13 years, Richard had decided to leave the service and was Honorably Discharged. It was at this time Richard had met and marred his beautiful wife of 34 years-Stefanie Feyjoo to whom they gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Tiara Feyjoo. Rick was very proud of his daughter as she holds some of the same values of dedication and honor amongst people as he did. Tiara Feyjoo gave birth to Richard’s first granddaughter who he loved and cherished named Nyla. Richard had enrolled Nyla in the sport of Jit Jitsu training, a sport he loved and wanted Nyla to pursue Although Stefanie was not in the military, Richard continued to work with the military as an independent contractor for many years. Richard’s career led him become a government contractor with the military and has continued to train soldiers around the world. As a government contractor, Richard worked as a “ Field Service Representative” or as they call it - a “FSR” with his company name Tobyhanna. This position involved working with military equipment and traveling to many military posts abroad. Of his many deployments, they involved traveling to Afghanistan to train and overlook soldiers as he did at Forts around the US as an equipment specialist. Rick gave Tobhanna 17 years of his life and retired on July 2021, which incidentally was the birth of his twin granddaughters, Grace and Faith. Richard whole-heartedly enjoyed retirement. He spent his days with his beautiful wife, daughter, granddaughters, and mother-in-law who he dearly referred to as Nana. His granddaughters called him “POPPOP” and loved all their excursions with PopPop. Family trips to Disneyworld, Dinosaur Land, the North Carolina Aquarium, Myrtle Beach along with the many Birthday gatherings, Christmas with PopPop Santa, to swimming and splashing pool times in our front yards, to doing the many science projects that Nyla would love to engage in with PopPop. Richard’s last couple of years were relished with Family time, times with his friends at Tobyhanna meeting for weekly lunches to just hanging out with the “ The Fellas”. It was now that Rick was acknowledged as “ SLICK RICK”. A name from the past. Richard was a man of the people and continued connecting and helping all his friends, colleagues, family members to strangers he would connect with on that day in any way that he could. Richard’s favorite joy was his team “ The New York Yankees..” who he loved religiously and wore the team colors and team gear to the very end- “ A true team player in every sense of the word!!” Richard leaves his immediate family: his wife Stefanie: daughter, Tiara; mother-in-law, Anna; and his second joy, his three granddaughters, Nyla 7 , Grace 2 and Faith 2. Richard connected to the very end on December 31, 2023 and into the New Year January1, 2024 (via texts) wishing all his friends and family around the US simply letting each and everyone know to enjoy life and set new goals for the new year. At the age of a mere 67 he was taken from us too soon. God needed Richard to lovingly and wholeheartedly guide, teach and to soldier all his new and old friends in God’s Kingdom as he has done all his life. Richard’s legacy continues in our hearts and our lives as he now is with God in Gods kingdom continuing Gods work. May you all see his smile as we look up at the stars and see Rick’s light shimmer upon us. In God’s Glory may he rest. In Jesus name amen.

SSG Richard Feyjoo

January 19, 1957 - February 5, 2024