The Brothers of Phi Sigma Kappa created this web page to honor the courageous life of our brother Richard J Gannon II who made the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of freedom. Rick’s life was exemplary in every aspect - a life of quiet but significant achievement, willing sacrifice, and unlimited potential. His death, though untimely and unfathomable, was nothing less than heroic, personifying the values of leadership and brotherhood that he shared with us as a brother in Phi Sig. Many of us have never known a loss as great nor pain so deep as that which we have suffered with Rick’s passing.
Rick was a mentor to an entire generation of Phi Sig ROTC misfits, men completely ill-suited to the requirements of playing soldier in Barton Hall but who have since proved themselves worthy in important service during times of conflict. Rick himself was such a person, possessed of extraordinary mental and physical toughness coupled with a mischievous spirit. He loved Richard Nixon, Steven Segal movies, and trashing the kitchen, but mostly he loved good company and the closeness of brotherhood that transcended his other numerous friendships. He was a study in contrasts: thrifty to a fault and yet exceedingly generous, inflexibly conservative in his worldview yet accepting and empathetic in friendship; “tough as a two-dollar steak” in his professional demeanor yet extremely good-natured and fun-loving. Rick was easy to get mad at but impossible to stay mad at. He was a great brother and a great friend.
At the time of his death, Rick was serving his second tour as a company commander in Iraq. Though his company had survived the major combat operations phase of the war with no fatalities, Rick knew that his mission and operating climate would be much more unpredictable and dynamic during their second tour. During a well-attended Phi Sig send-off in Las Vegas in late January, he was openly positive yet privately cautious about his expectations for the challenging times ahead. Rick died while coming to the aid of wounded Marines under his command during intense fighting with insurgents in and around the city of Husaybah. Though he was in command of almost two hundred Marines and would generally be expected to remain in the secure confines of the command center and coordinate the movements of his company, those of us who knew Rick understand that he would not have been content to sit back while his men engaged the enemy. For his efforts, Rick was posthumously promoted to the rank of Major, received the Purple Heart, and was awarded the Silver Star, one of our country’s top-echelon awards for bravery and gallantry in battle.
The outpouring of sympathy, remembrance, and celebration in the wake of Rick’s death was an inspiration and consummately fitting of a true hero and beloved friend. However, there is important work yet to be done. Rick’s family was known and beloved by our brotherhood. In many ways, we got the best of Rick during his time at Cornell. His family often had to share him generously with the Marine Corps, a demanding and decidedly ungenerous master. When he could be home, Rick lavished his three sons R.J., Patrick, and Connor, and his daughter Maria with love and tenderness. Just as our brotherhood was everything to Rick during his time at Cornell, so was his family in the years after.
Now that Rick has made the ultimate sacrifice, it’s up to us to honor his memory and acknowledge the obligations of brotherhood. Although through Rick’s responsible foresight and the entitlements he earned upon death Rick’s family will receive the modest necessities of life, it seems apparent that Rick’s contributions to our lives and to our country entitle his family to the benefits of a life fully and richly lived. To this end, we established the Brother Rick Gannon Memorial Fund to assist Sally in providing for their children and her the experiences and things that make life extraordinary and fulfilling as Rick would have desired.
In addition to generous donations received throughout the year, the Brothers hold an annual fundraiser golf tournament at Cornell University to socialize, celebrate, and commemorate our fallen comrade after a fun round of golf. In addition, The Palms, an old favorite Phi Sig hangout, traditionally helps us honor Rick with an evening fundraiser and donations. A tile designed and painted by Brother Kevin Ellenwood ’97 (“Casper”) to remember Rick currently hangs at the Palms. |
