Richard “Dick” Childress passed away peacefully last month after a long battle with cancer.
Prior to retiring in Hendersonville, he and Elli, his beloved wife of 63 years, lived and worked in the Washington DC area for nearly 25 years. Dick was an internationally known specialist in Asian affairs and had broad experience in national security, foreign policy, economic, and commercial matters in Asia. He served as the White House National Security Council’s Director of Asian Affairs and Political Military Affairs from 1981-1989. He was Senior White House Advisor to the Secretary of State and official delegate to each Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting and led or participated in every United State policy delegation to Vietnam and Laos from 1982-1989. He served as the National Security Council representative on each U.S. Government interagency group on Southeast Asian Affairs during the entire period of the Reagan Administration. In addition to national security issues, he focused heavily on refugee issues and humanitarian issues relating to POW/MIAs. He received humanitarian awards from several foreign governments for his work on refugee issues as well as the National League of Families of American Prisoners of War and Missing in Action.
Prior to his National Security Council work, Dick served as a career U.S. Army officer, retiring as a Colonel. He was a Vietnam War veteran. His military assignments included General Staff Officer for Asian Affairs, Department of the Army (1978-81) and multiple postings throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States. His military awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (the nation’s highest peacetime military decoration), Legion of Merit (with oak cluster), Bronze Star, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, along with other foreign awards and decorations.
After leaving government service, he established a Washington-based consulting firm, Asian Investment Strategies, which served the U.S. businesses looking to establish ties in Southeast Asia. He co-founded a power development corporation, Asian Energy Corporation, which had activities in Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Pakistan.
For the past two decades, he and Elli enjoyed the tranquil setting of western North Carolina where he spent considerable time finishing his lifelong ambition to write a full genealogical family history and he was delighted when his several hundred page book was published. He was also an incredibly proud grandfather and loved sharing his granddaughters’ academic and professional accomplishments. Dick also continued to be closely engaged with the National League of POW/MIA Families, a group he passionately supported since his days in the Reagan White House.
Dick is survived by Elli, his beloved wife and devoted companion of 63 years, his son Ty, his granddaughters Monique and Ainsley, and his loving brother Jim and sister-in-law Carolyn.
Dick will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date to be determined.
Condolences may be sent to the Childress family at www.jacksonfuneralservice.com or C/O Jackson Funeral Service 1101 Greenville Highway, Hendersonville, NC 28792. Please include the name of the deceased on the condolence.