Richard D. Shaft always looked up to his older brothers. He followed their paths of public service and became a firefighter, a profession that he saw as both rewarding and respected. Of his 31 years of service, he spent many years in the mechanics program, Urban Search and Rescue, and Los Angeles County Rescue. Richard loved the fire service and was always seen with a smile on his face. His fellow firefighters viewed him as a role model and loyal friend. Outside of work, Richard enjoyed mentoring troubled youth, golfing, boating, skiing, and swimming in the ocean. Richard put his family above all else, and is survived by his wife, Amy, daughter, Emily, and son, James. He died on January 13th, 2017 after succumbing to the effects of job-related brain cancer.