Richard Unsbee
SPRINGFIELD, IL – Richard Paul “Rick” Unsbee II, 51, died Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo., after an extended illness.
He was born Feb. 21, 1962, in Springfield to Richard and Carol Unsbee (Helmerichs). He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Paul and Eunice Unsbee, and his maternal grandparents, Kenneth and Margaret Josephson.
Rick enjoyed a varied career in both film and video, working on full length films, short features such as the 2005 award-winning “Cast in Gray” and most recently as a videographer for Comcast. He was an avid movie fan and science fiction aficionado. Surviving are son, Richard Paul Unsbee III (Cathy) of Normal, Ill.,; son, Ian Dane Unsbee of Springfield; granddaughter, Rachel Kerrigan Unsbee; one sister, Tavia Jones (Roger) of Pana, Ill.; nephews, John Ervin of Aurora, Ill., and William Ervin of Bolingbrook, Ill.; niece, Nora Ervin of Pana, Ill.; parents, Richard Unsbee of Sherman, Ill., and Carol Helmerichs of Springfield, Ill.
A private family memorial service will be held. Burial will be at Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Dan Thomas posted on 3/6/14
Richard Paul Unsbee II… what a great legacy… and a great man… one of so many talents! Movie-Industry-Grade Special Effects Make-Up Artist… versed more than most in aspects of paleontology… always returns a glance, with a big beaming smile… An awesome provider and father, friend and collegue. And since I’ve known “The Man”… Rick Unsbee, a professional Producer, Writer, Photographer-Videographer-Cinematographer, graphics artist, video and sound engineer… and editor. Lots of hats. And the only guy I know, in recent history, that can pull-off wearing the French Beret… making even the french beret look exceedingly “cool” again. His on-camera directing and spot concepts were superfilous… (a.k.a. “great”) He loved having an “over-the-top” element in his 30TV concepts. Like; … the ending of, I believe, a “Mr. Ridings” 30TV… I remember this dejected “duck”… throwing it’s wings in the air, like… “Why did I even bother to show up!”… and shaking it’s dejected and beak’ed bird-head. It was silly beyond measure… so silly, it tickles you like some quantum relationship, through your 60” HDTV. Rick had that “know all… do all” genius Jack-of-All-Trades way about him. And just another fine-facet of Rick’s “Out-of-the-Box” attention getting style… and “Why not add a zing, for shock-value”… something fun…………… to be better remembered. Love ‘ya, Rick… we’ll see you down the road bit… Dan Thomas Comcast Spotlight