Richard Wood Goins, Major U.S. Army (Retired) left this earthly life October 29, 2011. He was born December 9, 1917 in Sapulpa, OK to Esper and Maggie Goins. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Eupha; brother, L.E.; and half-sister, Iva. Survived by son, Gary of Denver, CO; daughter, Nancy Taylor and her husband Tom of Aliquippa, PA. He is also survived by the families of Tran Quoc Tuan and Pham Phi Long of Houston, TX. In 1976, Eupha and Richard lovingly sponsored these Vietnamese families into their home and provided everything they would need when they set out on their own. Richard served his country in the U.S. Army, retiring after 22 years of service. He served as a paratrooper in WWII with both the 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion and the 82nd Airborne Division. He was in the Battle of the Bulge while with the 551st PIB. In February 2001, the remaining 551st survivors were presented The Presidential Unit Citation at the Pentagon. It states, "The 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion is cited for extraordinary heroism between 27 December 1944 to 8 January 1945 in Belgium against all odds, incurring losses of four-fifths of its men and its Battalion Commander in seizing assigned objectives." During the Korean War he served as Provost Marshall of the 187th Regimental Combat Team Airborne. He also served as an advisor to the Vietnamese National Police in 1965. In 1966, he moved to Oklahoma City to start a security analysis and investigation firm that served the Petroleum Industry. He retired at the age of 75. Visitation will be Wednesday, November 2nd from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Mercer-Adams in Bethany, OK. Funeral services will be held in the chapel of Mercer-Adams on Thursday, November 3rd at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be at 2:00 p.m. at Fort Gibson National Cemetery. Memorials may be made in Richard's honor to the "My Legacy Building Fund" at Chisholm Heights Baptist Church, 2243 W. SH 152, Mustang, OK, 73064.