Richard Alan Bastear
January 30, 1930 — October 6, 2026
Richard Alan Bastear was born January 30, 1930, in San Gabriel, California. He passed away on October 6, 2026, in his home in Stockton, CA at the amazing age of 96!
He is survived by his blended family, including his wife Marilyn Duren, daughter Suzanne Bastear-Gruner, son Steve Bastear, stepdaughter Lynette Frontera, stepsons Mike Dorville, Jim Dorville and Ken Duren. His grandchildren include Jenna and Jessica Bastear, Amanda and Tim Frontera, Andy Dorville, Allison Carlson, Matt and Mark Chambers, Ashley Williams, Brittany Evans, Jason and Nichole Dorville, Austin Dorville, Ben, Shaylyn and Tristin Duren.
Richard (many knew him as Dick) lived in San Gabriel, CA through his youth and young adulthood. He later went on to college at UC Davis, where he began studying political science.
Dick had also been training to become a missionary pilot when, in December 1951, he received his draft notice. He joined the US Army in 1952 during the Korean War and was stationed in Trieste, Italy for peacekeeper duty. In 1954 he was honorably discharged.
Back at UC Davis, while continuing his study of political science and history, he immersed himself in the Cal Aggie Christian Association. With the guidance of a few mentoring pastors, Dick eventually was given the opportunity to lead groups in religious studies and other related activities.
In 1955, Dick furthered his education at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA. His first church assignment was Point Richmond Methodist Church. In 1959, once ordained, he became the minister at the Kerman Methodist Church, near Fresno. Later, he began ministering at the Methodist Church in Lamont, located near Bakersfield. Much of John Steinbeck’s famous novel The Grapes of Wrath takes place just outside of Lamont. While in Lamont, Dick found himself ministering to both the farm laborers as well as to the farmers in the community—a tricky situation, at times. Then, eventually, Dick was transferred to the Martinez Methodist Church. He served in United Methodist Churches for fourteen years.
Still an ordained minister, Dick went from being a full-time preacher assigned to a church to being a teacher. In 1970, he graduated from University of the Pacific with a Master’s Degree in History. He briefly taught history but then was offered a job at San Joaquin Delta College to teach political science where he taught for 34 years. In addition to classroom lectures, he would take some of his students to Sacramento to meet and interview figures in our state politics. He and his students would meet with people like Governor Jerry Brown, Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, Rose Bird, and State Speaker of the Assembly, Willie Brown. As one might imagine, Dick was elected as one of the top ten teachers on the San Joaquin Delta College campus.
Dick had many interests over the years including:
Being an active member at the First Baptist Church in Stockton for many years.
Feeding breakfast to the homeless in downtown Stockton each weekend, until his body could no longer do that type of activity.
Playing tennis in local tournaments and with his Delta College faculty friends.
Backpacking was always an adventure and a joy which he shared with his children. Now some of his grandchildren have grown to love the same kind of beautiful and gratifying outdoor adventures.
Dick became an avid traveler visiting such places as the Czech Republic, South America, Israel, Africa, and places closer to home such as Alberta, Canada. He went to the Pacific Coast Islands and beyond to do missionary work.
He lived a full and rich life. He wrote in his autobiography entitled The Refiner’s Fire: An Odyssey of Faith, “I vowed to learn to love God with my whole heart,” for His love,” as St. John said, “casts out fear.” “We know that we have passed from death into life,” St John’s letter reads, “because we love the brethren.” My aim was that kind of love.
GRAVESIDE
A graveside service will be held on October 30, 2026 at 11:00 AM Cherokee Memorial Park, 14165 N. Beckman Rd, Lodi, CA 95240.
Richard’s burial location is located in our Garden of Gospels, Block 3736, Space 1.
Cherokee Memorial is honored to serve the Bastear family.
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