Daryl Richmond '04, who committed suicide last Wednesday at his home in Reno, Nev., was described by friends as quiet and giving, often forsaking his own troubles to cheer up those around him.
Remembering him as an excellent cook whose specialties included Asian dishes and custards, close friend Sarah Wolf '04 said what she would remember most about Richmond was his laugh.
"Daryl's laughter was contagious, that was the part I liked most about him, and I think when I think about him, that's what I'll remember," she said.
Richmond's fellow Sigma Nu fraternity members honored him in a small memorial service held Sunday for the organization's members and Richmond's close friends.
Sigma Nu members read the fraternity's funeral ritual in honor of Richmond and friends shared memories and prayers with one another.
"Daryl was a beautiful man with a beautiful heart," Jorge Montalvo '02 said later. "He touched so many without knowing how much he was loved."
Many of Richmond's friends spoke of his ability and his desire to listen to and be available to others.
"He enjoyed making people laugh and made others feel loved," Montalvo said. "I have missed Daryl and I will always keep his love for others in my mind, always."
Richmond "truly embodied Sigma Nu's ideals of love, truth and honor," said fraternity President Will Rack '04. "Regardless of any problems he had, Daryl was always ready to help and support his brothers and friends in any way he could."
"I'd like to say that he was one of the kindest, most understanding guys I've ever met. I probably wasn't the easiest guy to live with, but he was always chill and was there to talk when I needed it," said Chris Plehal '04, Richmond's sophomore summer roommate. "He'll be missed by Sigma Nu, and he'll be missed by me."
While at Dartmouth, Richmond was involved with the College's marching band, played the clarinet in the College's wind symphony, and was a member of D-Steel.
Called eccentric by some, he was "a funny guy, generally energetic and animated," said Kimberly Powell '04.
In addition, friends say, he had a passion for mathematics, computers and music, and even had plans to create a universal language to be used by mathematicians and computer scientists.
"[The language was] so that knowledge could be shared between fields and science could progress more quickly," Tom Mueller '03 said of his close friend. "That's the way Daryl was.
"He had a certain spark about him ... he was kind of a quiet guy, but if you ever needed someone to talk to, Daryl was happy to be that person," Mueller added.
Richmond's friends were very close-knit according to Powell, and they are "still in shock, very sad and hurt," she said.
"Obviously, no one expected this," said Powell. "We knew he was having a hard time, but we just didn't know how unhappy he must have been."
Friends of Richmond's were very clearly shaken and distraught by news of his suicide, and many of them declined to speak with The Dartmouth, citing their inability to speak about him so soon after his death.Richmond was at home allegedly on academic leave from the College, according to friends.
Rack spoke on behalf of Sigma Nu in a Blitzmail statement and said that the fraternity extended its deepest condolences to Richmond's family.
"We can only imagine the feelings of loss that they are experiencing," Rack wrote, "and we hope to offer them as much support as we can. We miss our brother and friend greatly, our thoughts and prayers are with him and all those who were touched by his life."
Administrators, alumni and students have been extremely supportive, Rack said.
"We thank them for their kind words and strength," he said.
Richmond's friends and fellow fraternity members plan to set up a memorial fund in his name. According to a Blitzmail message sent out to the Class of 2004 on Saturday, the College will host a memorial service in the coming weeks for Richmond.
Services will be held today at 2 p.m. at the Mountain View Cemetery in Reno.
