Richard was born in Vancouver, B.C. the son of Harold Richard Hallett and Aileen Ruth (Woroby) Hallett. He moved to Victoria at the age of 2 months and lived there until 1965. Richard received his schooling in Oak Bay, B.C. and attended the University of Victoria and received BSc. Physics (Honours) 1965. University of Oregon MSc. Mathematics 1967. University of British Columbia Ph.D. Mathematics 1971. He then went on to teach Math at Selkirk College, in Castlegar, B.C. where he became Department Head, College Vice President, Dean and Institutional Researcher. He retired in 1997. He and his wife moved to Courtenay in 2006.
Richard leaves his wife of 53 years, Heather (Morison) Hallett, his son Douglas Hallett and Doug's wife Keiko Hallett and their sons Koji and Masaaki Otomo. He also leaves his adopted son William Hallett. Richard leaves his sister Joyce (Hallett) Abbate and her husband Joseph Abbate of Los Angeles, California and brother in law Doug Morison of Victoria, B.C. plus many cousins across Canada.
Richard was from an old Hudson's Bay Company Fur Trade family. Henry Hallett came to Western Canada as a Company Officer in 1793. Richard was very proud of his Metis heritage, being part Cree and Sioux as well as English, Irish, Icelandic, Polish and Ukrainian. He was a true Western Canadian. Richard was possessed of a brilliant mind and couldn't help making jokes constantly. Most of which were hilariously funny and some totally goofy. He also loved clever puns. He was a reserved man but very warm, interesting, funny as soon as you got to know him a bit. He had a very keen intellect and loved working with electronics. He relished good discussions, often with a good tipple. Richard was a natural athlete and a frustrated golfer (just like most of us).
Donations in his name can be made to either the Knowledge Network or the North Island Hospital. We will love him and miss him forever .