Dick was born on 21 September 1932, grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota and graduated there from Roosevelt High School in 1950.  He spent over two years in the Naval Air Reserve and Northwestern Preparatory School before entering the Naval Academy with the class of 1956 in the 19th company. 

Dick received his commission in the US Air Force and pursued a career as an electronics warfare officer, including time in the back seat of an F-4 aircraft over Vietnam.  His duty assignments also were at Harlingen Air Force Base in Texas, Biloxi in Mississippi, Mather in California, Davis Montham in Arizona, and in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Dick married Joanna Markins Armstrong of Tucson Arizona on 23 February 1957.  He had reached the rank of major in the Air Force when he left active duty in 1971 to pursue a civilian career with Hughes Aircraft and Raytheon Systems, retiring from Raytheon in 1994 because of health problems with rheumatoid arthritis.  Richard also taught at the community college after retirement.

Dick died on 12 April 2005 and is buried in the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista, Arizona.  He was predeceased in death by a son, Dan Romero and a grandson Mickey Romero.  Richard is survived by his wife, Joanna Romero of Tucson, Arizona, son Ray Armstrong, daughter Terry Kennedy and her husband Dan, and five surviving grandchildren whom Richard loved dearly; Stephen and Emily Romero, Kelsey Kennedy, and Andrew and Stefanie Armstrong.