Richard M. Hacker 1924-2010

Obituary Richard M. Hacker

Former Resident of Berkeley, Orinda and Moraga Richard passed away in Lincoln, CA on August 12, 2010 at the age of 85. The youngest of three children, Rich was born on October 9, 1924 in the Bronx, N.Y. After serving in the Navy Medical Corp, he attended Officers Training at Yale University. Rich graduated from Oberlin College in Ohio in 1948 before pursuing graduate studies at The University of California, Berkeley. On June 9, 1946, Rich married the love of his life, Lisbeth Hansen. 'Liz' captured his heart when he returned to A.B. Davis High School in Mt. Vernon and saw her across the room at her Senior Prom. They were married for 64 years, raising seven children.

Rich coached football and track at Stockton Jr. College from 1949-1951, followed by a year of coaching in Hayward. He then began his tenure as Track Coach at Berkeley High School, where he also taught P.E. from 1952 until the late 1960s. A highlight of Coach Hacker's career was when his track team won the State Championship in 1957. Rich continued to find great personal fulfillment mentoring the many Berkeley High track athletes, 'his kids', as he often affectionately referred to them, staying in touch throughout his career as a Real Estate Broker and into his retirement. In May 2008 Rich was inducted into the Berkeley High School Hall of Fame.

Rich enjoyed writing articles about track and his family. He liked listening to Big Band and Dixieland music, and dancing with his wife, Liz. His life's passions were his family and the athletes he coached at Berkeley High School. He also had a fascination with analyzing data related to track and field events and real estate.

Rich was preceded in death by his son Tom and by his sister Betty Cron. He is survived by his wife Liz; his sister Ruth Rinka; his son, John Hacker; his five daughters Joanne Dixon, Carolyn Kohn, Linda Wilson, Peggy Liddell, and Nancy Kalfayan; 12 grandchildren; and 7 great-grandchildren.

Henry (Hank) Dorsey, one of Coach Hacker's track athletes and his close friend, will officiate at a Celebration of his life on Sunday, October 17th, 2010, from 3pm to 5pm at the Sequoyah Community Church, 4292 Keller Avenue in Oakland. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the "Berkeley Athletic Fund" c/o John Merchant, 32 Binnacle Hill, Oakland, CA 94618 for maintaining the Berkeley High School Track & Field Record Board, one of Coach Hacker's legacies.