Charles Richard Weaver

Charles Richard "Dick" Weaver June 9, 1923 ~ March 16, 2015 Charles Richard "Dick" Weaver passed away on Monday, March 16, 2015, in Wenatchee, WA. Prior to moving to Wenatchee for health reasons, he and his wife, Marilynn, had resided in North Bonneville and Stevenson, WA for over 50 years. Richard was born to Charles F. and Lucille Weaver on June 9, 1923, in Springfield, MO. Stories from his adolescent years include manning an ice cream stand in the summers, going on mischievous adventures with his Uncle Lee, canoeing the James River down to Rock Away Beach, stopping by to get a bag of peanuts from Aunt Jo on his way to local ball games, and bird hunting with his dog, Duke. Dick graduated from Springfield High School in 1941, and attended Southwest Missouri State College (now Missouri State University) until he joined "the greatest generation" by enlisting in the Army in January 1943. Dick became part of the Army Corps of Engineers and served in North Africa, as well as taking part in the invasion of Italy. Dick's division was responsible for providing fuel to the front lines, which involved laying above ground gas pipelines and pumping stations. Their division was set to go to the Pacific following the conquest of Europe when Japan surrendered. Once back in the States, Dick was the 'Radar O'Reilly', who typed all of his division's discharge papers before he did his own. Charles Richard Weaver was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant on October 28, 1945. Life was full speed ahead for our returning soldiers. Dick returned to college, in fact two colleges at once, in order to earn his B.S. in Biology from Drury College (now Drury University). A fisheries research biologist job in the wilds of Alaska first led Dick to explore the West. Dick had many fond and funny memories of his time in Alaska, his coworkers, and the wildlife they encountered. Following his time in Alaska, since there weren't many salmon in Missouri, he secured a position studying salmon migration at the research facility on Lake Union in Seattle. It was during this time while he was visiting his parents in his hometown of Springfield, MO, that he and Marilynn got reacquainted. They had 'run' in the same crowd while in high school. Marilynn and Richard were married on October 10, 1954, in Springfield, MO. Following a honeymoon in Hot Springs, AR, Richard, Marilynn, and six year old, Teri, set off cross country to start a new life in Seattle. The young family built their first home in north Seattle, before a new fishery laboratory in North Bonneville lured them to the beautiful Columbia Gorge. Richard was very involved in researching how to improve fish mortality through the use of fish ladders on the Columbia River. He had a major hand in designing the fish ladders that are in use today at both the John Day and the Priest Rapids dams. It was during this time, that Teri was officially adopted by Dick. Many Skamania County residents will remember Dick for his portrayal of the Stage Manager in the local production of "Our Town," as well as playing other lead roles in many of the Skamania County Fair melodramas. He was always a Friend of the Library and spent many hours organizing the annual book sale. The Lutheran Church quilters always appreciated his yearly assistance in displaying their quilts. Dick spent many enjoyable hours working in his dark room, sailing his handcrafted sailboat, tinkering in his shop, composing and singing silly songs, and growing grapes for his blue ribbon wines enjoyed by family and friends. Following his retirement from the United States National Department of Marine Biology, Dick turned to volunteerism in and around Stevenson. Dick joined the Stevenson Lions Club and was named "Lion of the Year" several times. His club took on the task of recycling paper throughout the county. Dick and his little red pickup were seen daily, making the rounds in order to pick up newspapers for recycling. They were a permanent fixture at the Lion's Paper Shed. Dick hung the American Flags that lined Main Street for many holidays. In addition to Dick's Lions Club service, he also was heavily involved in the Skamania County Historical Society. Before the construction of the award winning Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, the society moved its museum several times. During this time, Dick, named "Volunteer Extraordinaire" by the Interpretive Center, was instrumental in cataloging, photographing, and moving each item several times to each of the new sites. Marilynn and Dick were early supporters of the Interpretive Center. The media room at the Interpretive Center is named after Dick for his leadership in setting up the complicated multi-media camera projection system. Volunteerism is often catching among couples. Marilynn and Dick were named "Volunteer Couple of the Year" by the Skamania County Chamber of Commerce. A truly kind person and the consummate gentleman, Charles Richard Weaver will be missed and honored by his wife of 60 years, Marilynn L. Weaver; daughter, Teri St. Jean (Joe); two grandchildren, Kelly Boreson (Carey), and Mike St. Jean (Maria); and one great-grandchild, Colton St. Jean. A Graveside Service for family and friends will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, April 6, 2015, at the Wenatchee City Cemetery. A Memorial Service will be held later this spring in Stevenson, WA. Memorial contributions may be made to The Scholarship Fund, Stevenson Lions Club, P.O. Box 525, Stevenson, WA 98648. Arrangements are assisted by Telford's Chapel of the Valley, East Wenatchee, WA.

Charles Richard Weaver

June 9, 1923 - March 16, 2015