Vernon H. Regier, 92, of Colusa, CA, passed away peacefully in his sleep on April 13, 2020 at his home after battling Parkinsons disease for nearly 30 years.
He was born in Corn, OK, on July 8. 1927, son of the late Barney and Tena Regier. He is survived by his spouse, Floss Regier, his children Megan Toma, Angus, Scott and Shawn Regier. He also had six grandchildren, Madison, Gigi and Trevor Toma and; Lea, Ian and Logan Regier.
A veteran of WWII, Vern entered the United States Marine Corps in 1945 and was part of the Bikini Atoll program, testing nuclear weapons. He also began participating in one of his favorite sports, boxing.
Following military service, he applied to California State University at Chico, CA majoring in Industrial Arts. In addition to his studies, Vern remained a starter in football, baseball, track and boxing all four years earning the coveted Block ” C” in each. He was selected Far Western Boxing Champion in 1948 in his weight group. Other activities on campus included The Ski Club and membership in Iota Sigma, an Industrial Arts Club which hosted several events a year promoting good fellowship. He later returned to Chico State to complete his Master of Arts in Administration.
After earning his teaching credential, he taught in Alturas and Los Molinas. In 1963 Vern moved his family to Colusa where he began teaching Industrial Arts and Woodshop. He retired in 1987 as Vice-Principal and Athletic Director.
Athletics remained his ” driving force” and underpinning throughout his life which he enthusiastically coached and participated. He entered several local cycling events and traveled the United States to participate in Senior Masters Track and Field events, running the 100 and 200 meters and the pole vault. He garnered over one-hundred medals and occasionally held a record or two in his age group. Vern took coaching very seriously. He worked tirelessly researching and acquiring necessary equipment and building blocks to provide ” his” athletes the best possible opportunities to excel in both sports and in life. His favorite maxim from Mark Twain was, ” Its not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of the fight in the dog.
In addition to sports and academics, he engaged in fine woodworking, rebuilding MGs, leather tacking and gun checkering.
Tributes and recognition for his zest in life included induction into the Chico State Hall of Fame in 1988, Colusa County Fair Grand Marshall in 2013, Individual Inductee to the Colusa County Hall of Fame in 2015 and the annual Vern Regier RedHawk Invitational to name a few.
Truly and wonderfully devoted to his family, peers, and students he tirelessly strived to set an example of encouragement and positivity, that endures within each one of us.
Due to the pandemic, a service of celebration will be scheduled for a later date. Those who wish to remember Vernon in a special way may make gifts in his memory to the Colusa RedHawk Athletic Foundation, P.O. Box 1027, Colusa, CA 95932.–
05/06/2020 ¢ WPR #2020-0634