Dr. Richard Golden Preece
August 14, 1932 – July 31, 2024
Dr. Richard Golden Preece was born August 14, 1932, to Mark Golden and Violeet Hyer Preece in Pocatello, Idaho. He graduated from Pocatello High School and attended Idaho State College where he met and dated Nedra Evans from Malad, Idaho for two years before leaving for the Canadian Mission in Toronto, Canada in 1953. He married and was sealed to Nedra Evans in the Idaho Falls Temple on August 17, 1955. They moved to St. Louis, Mo., where he attended and graduated from the Wahington School of Dentistry in 1959 and where Nedra taught school. Upon graduation Dr. Preece completed an internship at the Oakland Naval Hospital in 1960 and later attended Georgetown University and University of California where he completed a residency in Prosthodontics in 1969. During 28 years in the US Navy, he was stationed in Oakland, CA., NAS Ream Field, CA, Charleston, SC, Washington D.C., Great Lakes, IL., MCRD, San Diego CA. and Camp Pendleton, CA. He also served aboard the USS Ranger, USS Simon Lake, USS Hunley and the USS Sperry. He retired from Camp Pendleton in 1983 and continued a Prosthodontic Dentistry practice in Carlsbad and San Marcos, CA., until he retired in 1994. Dr. Preece and Nedra have Resided in Vista, CA. since 1978.
Dr. Preece was member of the San Diego Dental Society, the California Dental Society, the American Dental Society and the American Prosthodontic Society. He was a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and a Fellow of the American College of Prosthodontists. He was also a Diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontists.
Dr. and Mrs. Preece are the parents of five children: Mark H. Preece, Killington VT, Cynthia Ann Whiting, Highland, UT., Rebecca Sue Neeley, Steamboat Springs, CO., Richard E. Preece, Nevada City, CA. and Grant H. Preece, Vista, CA. They have 16 grandchildren and 36 great grandchildren.
Active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints he served as Bishop, on the High Council (3 times for 20 years), Ward and Stake Young Men’s President. He and Nedra served as full time missionaries in New Zealand, Nauvoo, IL., and Carlsbad, CA. and remained active in the San Diego Temple for many years.
Dr. Preece had over 80 years continuous registration with the Boy Scouts of America. He served as scoutmaster (3 times in 10 years), District Chairman, District Commissioner, Finance and Activities Chairman and served as the Executive Secretary of the LDS/BSA Relationships Committee of the San Diego Imperial County Council for over 20 years. During this time, he was honored with the District Award of Merit and the Councils Silver Beaver.
After retirement Dr. and Mrs. Preece kept up a steady activity of traveling which included 26 countries on 5 continents which included one 60-day cruise halfway around the world.
Memorial Services will be held at the Vista LDS Church on Saturday August 31, 2024, at 10:00 am.
In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made via Venmo to Boy Scout Troop 702 (@Troop702) – https://venmo.com/u/troop702
Attention: Scoutmaster Eric Gemmell
Donations will be used to help further the Troop’s Scouting program and to start the Dr. Richard G. Preece Scholarship Fund.