Richard P. Seery; Retired Sheriff’s Commander

Richard Patrick Seery, a retired Ventura County Sheriff’s Department commander, died Monday following a brief illness. He was 57.

Seery was born Jan. 12, 1941, in East Moline, Ill. He was a 50-year resident of Ventura County, most recently living in Fillmore with his wife, June Seery, a retired senior deputy with the Sheriff’s Department.

Seery attended Holy Cross School and Cabrillo Junior High School. He graduated from Ventura High School, Ventura College and the University of La Verne.

Seery retired as a commander in 1992 after 29 years of service. During his career, he had several assignments, including supervising detention services, personnel, the detective division and patrol units in the western portion of the county.

Sheriff’s Capt. Keith Parks said Tuesday that he first met Seery in 1979 when Seery headed the department’s Camarillo office.

“He was a great guy to work for,” Parks said. “He was one of those guys you could really talk to, and he would listen and offer a little wisdom and good advice. He was a team player and good man, and those were the qualities that made him a natural leader.”

Parks said Seery was well-liked and respected throughout the department.

Seery was a pilot who taught flying at CP Aviation at Santa Paula Airport. He enjoyed riding motorcycles and took several trips to Maui and Sturgis, S.D.

He was a longtime member of the Ventura County Deputy Sheriff’s Assn., Aircraft Owners and Pilots Assn., Thousand Oaks Riders Club and Topa Topa Lodge No. 291, Order of the Arrow. He was also a member of Bruce & Eddie RC Flying Club.

Seery was preceded in death by his parents, Francis William and Luverne Seery; a brother, Frank Seery, and a nephew.

In addition to his wife, Seery is survived by two sons, Michael Seery of San Francisco and Peter Seery of Fillmore; four nieces and a nephew.

Visitation will be from noon to 5 p.m. today at the Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home in Ventura. There will be a graveside service at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Ivy Lawn Cemetery in Ventura.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Santa Paula Airport Museum Fund, the Ventura County Council of Boy Scouts of America or the Salvation Army.