Richard R. Vargas

Richard R. Vargas, 88, was born on December 12, 1933 to Ysirdra Renteria and Elias Cabrera Vargas.  He passed away on October 31, 2022.  He was a life long Miami Vandal.  Richard “Dickie” Vargas was a sophomore member of the legendary 1951 Vandal Basketball team.  During his high school years, Dickie was a member of the varsity baseball, basketball football, and track teams.

Dickie graduated from Miami High School in 1953 and continued his education and athletic career at Palo Verde Community College (the Pirates) in Blythe, California.  He was a walk-on for Northern Arizona University (Arizona State Teacher’s College) in Flagstaff, Arizona where he eventually was named team captain and quarterbacked the Lumberjacks to the Frontier Conference Championship. While at NAU, he married Stella Flores, where they had their first two children.

In 1960, Dickie accepted a teaching position at the Miami Unified School District where he began 50 years of dedication to the students, players, his fellow educators, and parents of the community he loved.

Coach Vargas and his wife Stella raised 7 children:  Lenny (Clydene), Ken (Evelyn), Richard, James (Penny), Steve (Angela), Chris and their daughter, Cristi.  He was preceded in death by his wife Stella, his son James, and grandsons Brandon and Peter.  Coach Dickie Vargas leaves behind 14 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Richard “Dickie” Vargas is also survived by his brothers Robert “Bobby,” Frank “Chico”, Larry and sisters Barbara Caretto and Ellie Vargas. His brother, David, preceded him.

Thank you all for loving and respecting our Dad and Grandpa Coach the way you did.  We will miss his words of wisdom, his laugh, his knowledge of every sport and every player that ever existed, his sense of humor, his famous quotes, his dedication, and especially his love.  Two of his famous quotes, “Be good in the neighborhood” and “God Bless the Vandals!”

Assisting the family; Lamont Mortuary of Globe.