Yellow Ribbons, Red Bricks, Richard Rabisa

A deep abiding and ever visible love of his country, of his city, of his Tillicum community, and of his family describe Richard Rabisa.

Symbolized by yellow ribbons and red bricks.

A memorial service in honor of Richard Rabisa will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, July 10, at the First Baptist Church of Lakewood.

William R. Lucas wrote, “That which you vividly imagine, sincerely believe, ardently desire, and enthusiastically act upon will inevitably come to pass.”

That was certainly true of Richard Rabisa.

Those who pass over Freedom Bridge have Richard Rabisa to thank for his persistent pursuit of a permanent reminder that while many of us are simply traveling from here to there, others passed over Freedom Bridge on a mission, and some did not return.

For having vividly imagined what could be – what should be – Richard Rabisa was given the honors to cut the yellow ribbon at the June 2, 2006 dedication of the newly named Freedom Bridge.

It was Rabisa’s passion to honor the military personnel shipping out to the war zone in Iraq and Afghanistan and with the help of State Senator Mike Carrell who pushed the project through the legislature, the renaming of the Berkeley Street Bridge leading out of the Tillicum neighborhood of Lakewood across I-5 and into Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the Madigan Army Medical Center became a reality.

The yellow ribbon cut, Rabisa stood back as the first to cross the newly named Freedom Bridge were veterans motorcycle clubs, as members of military and community families waved flags.

Rabisa was instrumental in fundraising for the Veterans Memorial that was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 27, 2003. Seven-hundred commemorative bricks with personalized engravings from community members “recognize the contributions of veterans from all branches that have secured our freedom.”

Freedom.

Yellow ribbons, red bricks, Richard Rabisa was forever thankful for those who purchased so dearly our freedom.