“DO NOT CRY FOR ME- I HAD A GREAT LIFE!”
Richard (Dick) Clarke peacefully passed away on July 30, 2014 at the age of 84.
Dick was born on December 9, 1929 in San Diego, California. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Portland, Oregon. As a child he lived with his grandparents and mother named Rose.
At seventeen years of age he joined the Oregon National Guard.
In 1952 Dick received a BACHELOR OF SCIENCE degree in business administration and a minor in Forestry at Oregon State University. In college he was in the ROTC Officer Training and marched in the precision drill team.
He was also a member of the Theta Xi fraternity.
He met his future wife, Donna, at an exchange dinner. It was love at first sight for Dick.
They were married during spring break on March 23, 1952.
It was a marriage that lasted for 62 years.
That same Spring Dick enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Korean War.
He was proud to be the Soldier of the Month. He received the following awards: The Korean Service Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Commendation Ribbon; United Nations Service Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation.
After his discharge in 1954, Dick and Donna moved to Camas, Washington. Dick worked for Crown-Zellerbach Paper Company as a cost accountant. He did not feel professionally challenged so he studied to pass the CPA exam. He passed in 1960. To get his public accounting experience the family, now a total of four, moved to Astoria, Oregon. While there, Dick worked as a junior accountant for the CPA firm of Yergen & Meyer. He officially became a certified CPA in February 1963.
In January 1964, now five of us, moved to Seattle, Washington where Dick was employed in the CPA firm of Benson & McLaughlin. He became a partner in October 1969 and retired in January 1990. Dick was very active in his professional society and was honored to be President of the Washington Society of CPA’s in 1983-84.
During this time he had many interests and activities. He was active in his son's boy-scout troop 167. He became chairman of the parents group. He also assisted and attended most hikes. When a boy became an Eagle-scout, Dick personally hand carved and presented each boy with a creative slide for their scarf. He carved many. Dick and his son, Dutton, together carved two totem poles; a four-foot beaver; and a seven foot Northwest Indian totem for Dutton’s room.
Dick also loved to ride his son’s motorcycle.
The experience led him, over the years, to buy a series of different bikes. He enjoyed going on long rides with his son, friends, and a few clients on most all of the roads in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and British Columbia. He had a side car to travel with Donna and dogs. On many trips, Donna or his youngest daughter, Colleen, traveled behind him on the same bike. Both Donna and her daughter learned to “hold on tight.” His longest trip was to Chicago and back by himself.
Dick was very active in Rotary and was a charter member of the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club.
He served as President from 1987-88. He really loved Rotary and became very active in the 5030 district.
He volunteered as an area representative; twice as a conference treasurer; he served as a budget and finance committee member and Polio Plus chairman.
Dick also was the Chairman for the Rotary Foundation. He was a frequent speaker at clubs, district assemblies and seminars. He organized and started the 5030 Rotary Academy. Dick was honored as the District Rotarian of the year1991-92 and received the prestigious Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service in 1992-93. Dick is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and a benefactor to the Rotary Foundation Permanent Fund. He was so honored to be the Rotary District 5030 Governor of the greater Seattle area 1996-97. He worked hard at being a good leader and cheer leader for all the Rotary memberships. He always believed in the Rotary Motto of "SERVICE ABOVE SELF.”
Upon hearing of Dick’s passing, the Bellevue Rotary Club paid a special tribute to him. At a Rotary meeting instead of a moment of silence, the club honored Dick with a long standing ovation for all he gave and meant to their club over his years of membership.
Dick also decided to learn to play a banjo. He was active in the Seattle Banjo Club for many years and he played at most of their performances. Dick played trumpet in his high school band which helped make it easier for him to learn other instruments.
He also learned to play the ukulele.
Being truly retired from work was not for Dick. He began doing part time accounting work for his son’s business named Car-Fi Inc. In 1993 his son came up with the concept for marketing automobile stereo. Dick financed the new company, STEREO WAREHOUSE, INC. They began the new business in June that same year. It was a tremendous success due to the combined marketing and management skills of his son, Dutton, who teamed up with Dick's accounting skills. Dick eventually sold the Aurora property to Dutton and his wife Midori and retired again.
After his retirement from stereo, he wanted another West Highland white terrier dog since his other two had died from old age. He purchased a ten week old puppy that he named Annie. They competed together in Obedience, Rally, and Agility Trials for many years by traveling in the RV to as many competitions as possible. Boxes of ribbons showed what a good team they made together.
For 51 years Dick became well acquainted with many Ravenna neighbors over the years on his count-less number of dog walks near and far throughout the neighborhood. He also made many friends, human and dog alike, just by being out front of his own home. Dick always had dog treats available in our garage for dog visitors.
Dick never had any significant health problems until the last four years of his life. Over this time he developed Alzheimer, Parkinson and Dysphagia. He never lost his sense of humor through it all. We thank Providence Hospice for their guidance in the great care of Dick in his own home. Both his two daughters, Tina and Colleen, helped care for their Dad during home hospice so Mom could get some rest. All three of them will cherish the night they made Dick laugh and laugh.
Dick’s eldest daughter, Tina, graduated with an accounting degree from the University of Puget Sound. Dick would take her out to lunch when she worked downtown. Tina laughs over the fact that Dick made sure she knew all the cheap places to eat that had good food. He took her to accounting seminars, networking meetings and dinners when he gave speeches. He kept giving her encouragement to “work hard to succeed.” Tina had an accounting job in a stockbroker firm. Dick encouraged her to get a stock broker license. She did-thanks Dad!
Tina also gave him his 1st grandson.
Dick’s youngest daughter, Colleen, graduated from the University of Washington as an English Major. She first found a successful career in corporate sales. In later years she started her own portrait photography business.
Colleen thanks her Dad, among many things, for giving her a good sense of humor. She will miss her Dad’s explanation when his humor didn’t go over so well in public: “I was guilty of making another one of my M.J.’s… mediocre jokes.”
Colleen will miss the many walks she took with her Dad over the years. They had endless philosophical discussions as they walked and talked. After their walk, Dick would come back home and say that he and Colleen…“figured out how to solve all the world’s problems.”
Dick was a great cheerleader person for Donna when she did her teaching, volunteer service projects and artwork. He never complained about helping with the meals, housework, or care of family and pets when Donna was doing “her thing.”
Dick and Donna shared many interests together.
One interest they found to do together was dance. It all started when their two oldest kids asked them to take ballroom classes with them. All four of them signed up but their kids soon dropped out. Dick and Donna not only stayed in the class, but they took dance lessons for over three years. They loved it! They joined two ballroom dance clubs in Seattle. They spent many wonderful evenings dancing with friends and each other.
Our five grandsons: Sonny, Steven, Ryan, Damian and Kylen all remember that three squeezes with your hand means: “I love you.” When he could no longer speak, Dick would give us three squeezes back.
My husband Dick will always be remembered by all as a kind, happy man with a terrific sense of humor. He loved people and truly enjoyed life!
The family will have a private celebration of his life in September. Dick did not want a memorial service. Suggested memorial gifts can go to (1) The Rotary Foundation: One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201-3698, USA; www.rotary.org (2) PAWS: P.O. Box 1037 Lynnwood, WA 98046; www.paws.org (3) the charity of your choice.
A heart-felt thanks to everyone who have honored Dick by expressing their own fondness and warm memories of such a beloved man.
PLEASE SIGN HIS GUESTBOOK