DR. BENJAMIN RICHARD (DICK) RESPESS, JR.
1948-2017
Dr. Benjamin Richard (Dick) Respess was born in Alexandria, Virginia, February 10, 1948, and moved to Houston, Texas, with his parents, Benjamin and Jean Respess, at the age of 2. He passed away on May 16, 2017, in Dallas, Texas at age 69.
Dick graduated with honors from The Kinkaid School in 1966 where he was active as member of the football, soccer, and golf teams and in student government. He lettered in football and was a captain of the soccer team, achieving all-conference status in both sports. He then graduated from Princeton University in 1970 with a B.A. in biology, where he lettered in football as an exceptional Center. He was invited to a tryout with the New York Giants football team.
Dick was in the very first class in 1975 to graduate with an M.D. from the University of Texas Medical School in Houston, Texas. He practiced emergency room medicine for 42 years. Dick also participated in extensive medical research, particularly with stem cells, producing break-through procedures for their use in curing cancer. He also developed an all natural burn and wound cream; Regenaderm.
In 1991, with his expertise and love of automobile racing, Dick led the renovation of the Texas World Speedway in Bryan-College Station. He started a composites manufacturing business, Respess Composites, Inc., which developed a highperformance all-composite car called Consulier, a car that Chrysler Corp. had an interest in acquiring. He was retained by the Russian government under President Boris Yeltsin to analyze the potential revitalization of the Russian automobile industry.
Dick’s other interests included sailing, golf, carracing and music. He was an accomplished rock-n-roll drummer and an avid sports fan. He loved attending SMU and Dallas Cowboys football games, and Dallas Stars hockey games.
Dick is survived by his wife of 34 years, Elizabeth (Liz); his sister, Alice Splawn and her spouse, Jesse; his brotherin-law, Tex Netcher and his spouse, Becky; and Dick’s beloved bulldog, Portia. He is predeceased by his parents, and his dearly beloved bulldogs Hooty, Whitbread, Katy, Warwick, Guinevere and Falstaff.
Anyone who met Dick was touched by his humor and his desire to help people. Most importantly, he loved making people’s lives better through medicine and encouraged living by Christian values.
The memorial service will be held at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 8011 Douglas Ave., Dallas, Texas, 75225, on Thursday, May 25, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dick’s memory to the The Kinkaid School Scholarship Endowment Fund. Please send checks payable to The Kinkaid School, 201 Kinkaid School Drive, Houston, TX 77024, c/o Tom Moore.