Street Talk: Carson couple heavily involved in our community

When Kate and Richard Reich married eight years ago, they became two of Carson City's most active and community-minded couples.

Both are heavily involved in community work as well as being members of the Republican Party.

We'll begin with their meeting and wedding.

"We met on a blind date at Adele's," said Kate. "We dated for three years and were married at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Carson City."

Richard is 57 and was born in San Francisco. Kate is 42 and was born in Long Beach, Calif. Both came from military families.

"My dad, Bud, was career military," said Kate. "First in the U.S. Navy as a frogman who served in Vietnam. After 10 years he switched to the U.S. Coast Guard and served there for 23 years. He's retired and lives in Arizona with my mom, Pat."

Kate has three brothers. Mike is 49 and Mark is 38 and both live in Southern California. Jim is 45 and lives in Tennessee.

"We moved around a lot," added Kate. "I've lived in lots of places and I graduated from high school in Kirkland, Wash."

Richard's parents have passed away.

"Dad (Ray) was 78 when he died from health problems and Mom was 83 when she passed away," said Richard. "I have one sister and one brother, both older. Joann lives in San Diego and Bob lives in Olympia, Washington."

From previous marriages, the couple have seven grown children and three grandchildren.

"Number four is due December 20th," added Kate happily. "Our Christmas baby."

A MILITARY MAN

Richard came to Carson City in 1976 from San Francisco.

"I was just discharged from the U.S. Army after serving six years and when I moved here I joined the U.S. Army Reserve. In 1994 I transferred to the Nevada National Guard and I'm currently the commander of medical detachment for the state. I'm also the Nevada state dental surgeon."

His present rank is colonel. Richard also has his own dental practice here.

"I opened it 24 years ago," he said. "I do everything from minor orthodontia work to root canals and everything in between."

A GOURMET COOK

Among other things, Kate is a gourmet cook and is a member of a gourmet cooking club here in Carson City.

"There are eight of us and we cook ethnic culture dishes for our dinner social meetings," she said. "I did Italian at the last one."

Kate came here in 1989 from Woodland hills, Calif.

"My parents lived here at the time," she noted. "I was a Realtor for a few years but now I'm community involved. I was president of the Carson-Tahoe Hospital Auxiliary Board last year and I'm a lifetime member."

Kate is also a member of the Carson City Women's Republican Party, the Republican Central Committee and the Republican Century Club.

"It all keeps me very busy," she laughed. "That and my gourmet cooking club."

As for Richard, he is currently a member of the Carson City Charter Review Committee and a past PTA president.

"I've been a soccer coach, a Little League coach and I was president of the Sierra Nevada Babe Ruth League," he said cheerfully. "I was also the president of the Carson-Tahoe Hospital dental emergency group."

Both are parishioners at St. Peter's and both volunteer for the church.

"We host various fund raisers and private parties at our home," said Kate. "Many have attended, like Gov. Kenny Guinn and Mayor Ray Masayko and others. We love to host them for our friends."

Speaking of their home, it's a two-story, four bedroom home in Kingston Park that sits on an acre and that's where our visit took place.

"We designed the house ourselves and had Ken Fields Construction of Carson City build it," said Kate proudly. "We are constantly adding and tinkering with the house. Presently we are building a wine cellar and also a billiard room."

They gave me a tour. The home is decorated in a "European Flair" with lots of art and European style furnishings as well as lots of "statuary, murals and paintings." It is fantastic! I really enjoyed the tour, I might add.

Do want to note that they have a 150-gallon saltwater fish tank with eight fish in it now and they have one dog at home.

"Her name is Gerty The Dog and she's a 6-year-old miniature Schnauzer," said Kate. "I found her at a pet store in Reno when she was just three months old."

FUN STUFF & THANKSGIVING

Richard loves to play both racquetball and softball and both Kate and Richard are snow skiers as well but their true love is not those things.

"We love to motor-home travel," said Richard. "That's our most fun. We go for two weeks every summer from Canada to Mexico and everywhere in between. That and host parties. We like parties. That's our fun."

The next party they host will their annual Century Club Christmas Party Dec. 6 at their home.

We were visiting a few days before Thanksgiving and I asked what they had planned for the holiday.

"We're going to San Diego for a family Thanksgiving," replied Kate. "We'll be gone five days and it will be a great time for us and our families. We're looking forward to it."

I wished them both a Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you all had a happy one too.

Alan Rogers is a Nevada Appeal columnist. Call him at 887-2430, ext. 402.