Richard died August 12, 2015, in Reedsport, Oregon. He was born, December 8, 1934, in Drayton Plains, Michigan. Richard spent his early years in Michigan, graduating from Waterford Township High School in 1953.

He served in the Army from 1955-57 and graduated from Michigan State University in 1959 with his teaching degree. Richard jumped at Missoula in the 1958-59 and at West Yellowstone from 1962-64.

He taught for 33 years, three in Michigan, and the remainder in the Eugene (Oregon) School District. Richard received two Master's Degrees from the University of Oregon. He resided in Eugene and Creswell for 27 years, moving to Reedsport, in 1989. He was a lifelong hunter and holds four Boone and Crockett blacktail deer records.

Dick also was a tree farmer and planted over 20,000 on his Oregon properties, pursuing conservation and protection programs for wildlife and forestlands.