ASIDE FROM THE SMOKING AND WELDING, THERE ISNT A THING ABOUT MY LIFE THAT I WOULD CHANGE.

-RICHARD RADCLIFF
Richard Radcliff, better known to many as Rich notes frequently that

notes home from Jill to give to his brother while they shared classes

he has lived a very normal, middle class life. Born in 1944, Rich was

together. After graduating high school, Jill choose to break up with her

born at a great time to fully enjoy the 1950s and 1960s and all the

sweetheart as the lifestyles they lead still were very hard to fully inter-

change that those decades had introduced. Rich is now able look back

twine together. During the three years they were split, Rich would take

today with the Bad boy nostalgia, he says I am glad to grow up in

Jill on random dates every few months.

the era I did, the 50s, the birth of rock and roll, the 60s, the hippies.
These years offered a fun time to be growing up.

After picking up a job as a welder and a boiler maker for the Western
Pacific Rail Road, it had been about a year since Rich and Jill had

The novel, The Outsiders, clearly defined the lifestyle Rich grew

spoken. While at work, Rich received a call out of the blue, Theres

up as, a greaser. Richs stomping grounds growing up was the North

a phone call for you, Radcliff. On the other line was Jill asking for

Highlands, California. In the fifth grade, Rich clearly remembers the

a favor. Her favor was for him to take her to lunch. Rich took off for

first appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan Show, as well as listening

lunch that day to pick Jill up, And she looked good, she looked good

to Elvis 45 rpm records at 7th grade parties. Along with Elvis, Rich

that day, he reminisced. Two or three weeks later, they packed up to

admits to being totally taken over by Jerry Lee Lewis, often referred

get married and drove to Mexico in his 1956 Oldsmobile Rocket 88.

to as The Killer. The introduction of rock and roll at an impressionable

As what many do in Mexico, they bargained for the best deal. Rich

age has clearly left a mark on Rich. Today, he frequently is singing

kept going from marriage person to marriage person, How much

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little ditties from his past.

do you charge? Twenty. Sorry, cant do that, fifteen. Finally,

Rich met Jill while he was in eleventh grade, and she was

after having asked many people, somebody took his deal and they

in tenth. He was a greaser and she was the soc. Richs

were married. Fifty one years later, and their marriage fifteen dollar

younger brother, Rodger, remembers having to bring

marriage is still going strong. After returning from their trip, Jills

parents were not pleased. They had no clue

Although never a true hippie in the 60s, Rich

they had started seeing each other again, let

takes great pride in how his generation made

alone had gotten married. Her parents would

it generally okay for men to have longer hair

only see the motorcycle side of Rich. His

in later years. Although, now with his bald

father-in-law once said after they had been

head, that past history has since migrated to

married for forty years, I couldnt ever figure

out when my little girl saw in this renegade.
Although he was never a renegade, the
other greasers Rich grew up with alongside
Rich Radcliff in front of a train that he
helped restore to working condition after
an accident during his career as a welder
and boilermaker This train is now on
display in a rail road museum in California

in his neighborhood became members of a

biker club, in the end forming the local Hells
Angels Club, North Sacramento Chapter.
For some reason, a number of my friends
became part of that culture, I was a, lets
say an associate. Rich never was an official

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his face to create the meticulously groomed

beard he now wears with pride.
Richs beard had actually began with a funny
story, his mother-in-law hated beards and
would pitch a fit when Rich would begin to
grow one. At the hospital, while Jill was in
labor with her first child, Rich never admitted
to his mother in law that he had not had time
to shave. When she asked if he was growing a
beard, he said responded that he was thinking
about it. Ill make you a deal, she began,

member, he just hung around the lifestyle for

If it is a boy, I will never say anything about

a while. Primarily to the fact of Jills influ-

you growing a beard ever again, if its a girl,

ence, when they first begin dating, Rich chose

you will never grow anymore beards. March

never to join the club as the soc lifestyle and

7, 1967 is when Richs beard began its legacy.

the Angels lifestyle did not mix at all. He had

Following two more children, the deal would

to make a choice, and it was her.

be brought up again, despite the original

clause of promising to never say anything.

is something he admits to. The welding has

Each child was in Richs favor as now he has

left Rich with a battle with cancer and other

three sons.

respiratory problems. Rich had his right lung

Rich had been vehemently against the

Vietnam War that had been taking place
during those years. In 1967, he gathered
among the 60,000 other like-minded people
and marched in the San Francisco March
Against the Vietnam War, which took place

Rich Radcliff and his eldest son, Brett.

Taken in 1967 at the beginning of Richs
beards reign.

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removed due to cancer in 2001, followed by

needing radiation on his left lung ten years
later. Rich was immersed in his welding
career without anyone understanding the
consequences. Along with everybody else, in
his twenties he thought he was bullet proof.

alongside its sister march in New York

Rich has said, People in Utah do not know

City, hosting 125,000 people. At the time,

the California Rich. Currently, he is living a

these two marches were largest antiwar

very normal, middle class life. Even though

demonstration in United States History. At

it has been years since Rich has been around

the time Rich hated the war, and he believes

motorcycles, he does get a bit of a motorcycle

history has proved that nothing had resulted

fever in the spring time that can be hard to

from that war.

shake off.

The 1950s and 1960s were only 20 years of

This profile about Richard Radcliff was written

by Madilyn Radcliff

Richs 72 year long life, but they have left a

lasting indent on the man he is today. Aside
from the smoking and welding, there isnt
a thing about my life that I would change,

Although written for her English 2010 course,

Madilyn had used this assignment to learn more
about her grandfather and his days spent as a
renegade
Written September 30, 2016