Richard Dublin

Chief Master Sergeant Richard Artell Dublin, known to friends and loved ones as Art, died on May 9, 2016 at his home in Schertz, Texas. He was born July 5, 1931 in Hazel, Kentucky to Henry Kirksey and Burlie Ann (Hall) Dublin. His childhood was spent in Mayfield, Tri City, and Sedalia, Kentucky, as well as Highland Park, Michigan. After graduating from Sedalia High School in Kentucky in 1949, Art enlisted in the United States Air Force, in which he served for 28 years. He married his loving wife of 59 years, Elnora Louise (Hart) Dublin, on December 26, 1956 in Corinth, Mississippi. His Air Force service took him and his family to Amarillo, Texas; the Philippines; Victorville, California; Denver, Colorado; Biloxi, Mississippi; and Honolulu, Hawaii before he relocated to Randolph Air Force Base in Universal City, Texas, where he continued to serve in the USAF Civil Service for an additional 18 years. Art performed airframe repair on the island of Okinawa during the Korean War, a period of service of which he seemed to be particularly proud. He was also called to short-term assignments in Vietnam, Guam, French Morocco, and Labrador, Canada. His service afforded him the opportunity to attend college at the Municipal University of Omaha .

Art's skill with his hands extended beyond his military career to a varied set of hobbies including painting, woodworking, model airplanes, and both playing and building guitars. A fan of Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Eddy Arnold, and western swing music, Art taught himself to play the guitar as a teenager. In his retirement, he began crafting his own "AD Guitars," combining what he believed to be the best aspects of the Fender and Gibson Les Paul designs. He enjoyed recording his favorite classic country songs and editing accompanying videos to share on YouTube, often incorporating photos of his favorite things: his family, his memories of how the world was when he was younger, and military and aircraft memorabilia. It brought him as much joy to share his creations with others as it did to make them in the first place, and he hoped to be remembered as having done everything he tried well.

Art is preceded in death by his daughter Connie Jean Dublin; brother Donald Edward Dublin; sister Henrietta (Dublin) Shepherd; and parents. He is survived by his wife, Elnora; daughter Anita Ann (Dublin) Strong (husband Roger) of Lindale, Texas; son Richard Dale Dublin (wife Deanna) of Windcrest, Texas; granddaughter Elizabeth Ann Strong and grandson Daniel Lynn Strong of Richardson, Texas; grandsons Richard Shane Dublin and Kyle Ray Dublin of Chandler, Arizona; granddaughter Shauna Rose Dublin of Weatherford, Texas; sister Starlon Marie (Dublin) Langham of Sedalia, Kentucky; and brother Hal Franklin Dublin of Longwood, Florida.

Family will receive friends for a viewing on Friday, May 20th, 2016 from 8:30 am until 10:00 am at the Schertz Funeral Home. A funeral service at the same location will immediately follow from 10:00 am until 10:30 am. A graveside service will be held Friday, May 20th, 2016 at 11:15 am at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. A reception will follow at the home of son Richard Dublin.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his name can be made to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, or to the Bexar County Chaplains for Justice Training Program, Bexar County, Texas.

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