Richard James McGuire

Richard James McGuire, known throughout most of his life as Dick McGuire, died early Sunday morning, September 20, 2026, in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was 87.

While still in college, Dick spent a summer working at Olympic National Park in Washington. It was there, on a day trip to Second Beach, that he met Barbara Jonas, the woman with whom he would build his life and family.

Dick spent 24 years as a landscape architect with the U.S. Forest Service. His work took the family to communities across the country. In 1985, Dick and Barbara moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where he continued his career in public service as a project manager for the City of Scottsdale Parks, overseeing the construction of parks throughout the city. Even after retiring, he continued to consult on park projects in the Greater Phoenix area.

A devout Catholic, Dick’s faith was reflected not simply in what he believed, but in the way he lived.

Above everything else, Dick was devoted to his family. He was a rock—kind, caring, loving, and steady.

Dick is survived by his wife, Barbara; their three sons, Andrew Michael McGuire and his wife, Melinda, Timothy Martin McGuire and his wife, Amy, and Brian Jonas McGuire and his wife, Marci; and his grandchildren, Abigael, Briana, Elise, and Jonas McGuire.

Dick leaves behind many things he made and helped build, but his family will remember something more personal: his kindness. He loved his family deeply, cared about the people around him, and believed in serving others. That quiet generosity was at the heart of who he was.

A memorial service for Dick will be held Tuesday, September 29, at 12:30 p.m. at Conventual Church of Our Lady of the Angels at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Paradise Valley, Arizona. For those wishing to honor Dick’s memory, the family suggests a donation to André House in Phoenix, where Dick volunteered in service to others.