Richard ‘Old Man’ Harrison passes
We get the sad news today that Richard Harrison, also known as “The Old Man” on the History Channel’s Pawn Stars, has passed at the age of 77. According to Wikipedia, he was a career Navy veteran;
When he was 17, Harrison attended a barn dance, where he met his future wife, Joanne Rhue, the daughter of Joseph Rhue, a county judge, who later became one of the lead attorneys for Philip Morris in North Carolina. They married in 1960. Before they married, however, Harrison stole a car, and after he was arrested, was given a choice by the judge to go to prison or the military. Harrison chose the latter. JoAnne became pregnant with their first child immediately after they married, and Sherry, their first child, was born with Down syndrome. They also had three sons, Joseph, Rick, and Chris. Harrison left the Navy in February 1962, but re-enlisted fourteen months later in order to obtain the health care benefits necessary to meet Sherry’s medical expenses. She died when she was six years old.
Harrison ultimately served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, including stints as a paymaster, and attaining the rank of petty officer first class. Harrison served on four ships, including his final five years on fleet tug ATF 100 USS Chowanoc, from 1972 to 1976.
In 1967 Harrison was transferred by the Navy to San Diego, California. He continued to serve in the Navy, while JoAnne obtained her real estate license in 1970 and opened her own office in 1973. After Harrison was discharged from the Navy, he worked part-time in his wife’s office. Declining real estate sales caused by interest rates as high as 18 percent cost Harrison $1,000,000 and the collapse of this business in 1981.
Category: We Remember
Godspeed, Old Man. I quit watching the show several years ago when it started to come off as just too manufactured and scripted. That said, the Old Man was the most natural part of the show. His grumpy grandpa really came through and was very endearing.
I also liked that they didn’t try to make it a focal point of the show – he was a grumpy dude who just happened to be a Navy vet, not super mega SEAL man. I appreciated that, and his character was pretty unvarnished. like he didn’t have time for tv production crews or any of their crap. good stuff.
for some reason, I thought he was a retired Chief? I got tired of watching the show when those 3 idiots on there were disrepected both their grandfather and dad, altho the dad was as big an idiot doing the same thing…that fat little idiot chum, disrespected everyone and he was too stupid not to imho!
Yeah, I watched the show early on and then selectively by reading the description of the show. Finally, I stopped watching. The Old Man was my fav but was a crook at heart, in the sense that a lawyer or car salesman is, too. Whenever I saw that a rare book was being pawned, I watched intently. I didn’t care so much about the book as I did the rare-book expert. Man, she got my to drooling.
Me, not my. And her name is Rebecca Romney. I loves her.
Totally with you. I loved the rare book episodes just for her. Why don’t she get a show?
2/17,
I didn’t watch this show much at all, however, I am a book person, much to the dismay of my boys, they will ask something like “…did you like the movie, Dad?” I will usually say…”the book was better.”
I had to look up Rebecca Romney…:) FREAKING WOW!
Hmmm maybe I should give up science for a living and get cracking on a doctorate in history? 🙂
Regarding the “Old Man”; may he rest in Peace and thanks for serving out nation. How the hell do you get stationed on a Tugboat??? That might be kind of cool, or, if youre pushing an aircraft carrier around, kind of stressful.
Out of all the reality shows, that was the only one that was watchable at all. He made it work.
Fair winds and following seas, Old Man.
I dunno, the pickers is pretty interesting!
I wonder what kind of offer the old man made St. Peter on the pearly gates. Sail on, sailor.
18% interest?
Must be a typo.
Negative. Jimmy Carter’s economy- I had a mortgage then with 17% interest.
I remember CD rates of 11-13%.
Loan rates for cars at 24%
You must be a young-un
Hell, you got junior Marines running around with interests rates of 24% right NOW.
Yeah, but is that from bank loans or “In-House Financing” at Slick Sam’s Used Cars?
“We finance E-1 and up!” All
One sees that in places like Victory Drive and South Lumpkin in Columbus, GA.
Folks had all of their money in Money Market Accounts churning out 15% interest, risk-free. Who wants to invest in the stock market with returns like that?
Back in the late-70’s/early-80’s? Pretty much nobody.
Reagan establishes 401(k) in 1982? Look what’s happened since.
Nope. My parents bought a house in 1981 when the rates were a “bargain” at 15 percent.
And I thought I was getting screwed when I bought my last house in 2006 and the mortgage was at 5.5 percent.
I agree, I had a cousin that owned a little Ford dealership and when the election rolled around, that life long democrap voted for Reagan! He told my dad and me that Jimmy Carter had just about ruined him.
It was so nice to see him on that show. A breath of fresh air and a role model on how to appropriately insert being a veteran into the conversation. No outrageous claims. Just how life lessons gained from the military mad life better for his family. Good stuff.
RIP, sir. Peace and comfort to your family.
Rest in Peace.
Rest in peace Brother.
He reminded me a lot of my first boss after I got out of the Army in ’81. He was retired Navy as well, and the epitome of a stubborn Norwegian at times. I learned a lot about life in general from him, and even after I lost my job I used to go back to the store I worked at just to say “Hi” to him for several years until he passed away. Fair Skies and Calm Seas, gentlemen.
Any one that can get away with taking a snooze in the middle of the workday has my undying respect. Fair winds and following seas Old Man.