Richard Howard Westbrook Jr. - Dickie to everyone he knew - at home with his loving wife Janie and their family, passed quietly into the company of Heaven, on Sunday August 23rd.

Dickie was born October 19, 1950 to Dorothy Grimes Westbrook and Richard Howard Westbrook. He grew up in Raleigh and went to Enloe High School. He married the love of his life, Janie Glover, on September 14, 1969 and soon began his 39 year (and 7 month) career, as a conductor and trainman, for Norfolk Southern Railroad.

Through his work, he became active in the United Transportation Union, serving as the local chairman of trainmen and conductors for 30 years. During this time, he was also North Carolina Assistant Director for the Union, for 10 years and North Carolina Director, for 14 years. For 8 of these years, he was also responsible for designing and implementing OSHA Training, for UTU Regional meetings, which also helped facilitate and increase his love for traveling to new places and discovering new things, both in work and in recreation.

When Dickie wasn't at work "playing trains", he was most likely to be playing - or coaching - some outdoor activity. He started surfing as a kid and had more recently become determined to once again conquer the ocean. An avid trail biker, he joined with other bike enthusiasts in Garner, in creating the Garner Bike Trail, which he also loved to conquer.

Most of all, Dickie loved soccer and he was always, deeply committed to youth soccer, in particular. Over a 19 year span, he coached hundreds of kids in the Garner Recreation League and served on the Garner Area Soccer Association board, as well as coaching soccer at East Garner Middle School and Garner Senior High School. Dickie was passionate about the game, about going all out, and about the lessons we can learn on the field and he believed deeply, in challenging ourselves beyond what we know we can do and overcoming the discomfort. It was with this relentlessly positive perseverance, that he lived.

Dickie is survived by his wife Janie Glover Westbrook; two daughters, Leslie Westbrook Collins (Travis) and Tina Westbrook Dillabough (John); seven grandchildren - Zoie, Jalynn, Bella, Aaliyah, Keira, Joshua, and Bridget; a brother, Dan Westbrook; two sisters, Starla Westbrook Logue (Scott) and Tammy Westbrook Newton; six nieces and nephews, and innumerable extended family members and friends.

A celebration of life will be held at 2:00pm Wednesday at Montlawn Funeral Home. The family will receive friends at the funeral home immediately following the service.

Janie and the girls want to express so much gratitude, for the presence and support of friends and family and the prayers of those more physically distant and to everyone who reached out through GoFundMe.

Janie would like to thank Transition Life Care Hospice, for all the kind and loving care given to Dickie and his family, by asking that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to support their continued mission for end of life care. Condolences may be shared with the family in this online guestbook.