Dick graduated from the University of Nevada in 1959. He spent two and a half years on active duty with the US Army (and another 26 years in the Army Reserve) and was employed by the US Forest Service. Dick worked in the Modoc, Angeles, Shasta-Trinity and San Bernardino National Forests in California; the Washington DC National Headquarters; Montana; and then back to San Francisco, California where he retired as Director of Engineering for the Region (California and Hawaii) in 1994. He moved to Vancouver, Washington in 1994 and to Hockinson in 1995.

Dick has always served in the Forest Service fire organization while on National Forests, usually in the Service/Logistics/Equipment Management side, so he has continued his interest and desire to help out by serving as a Fire Commissioner for Fire District 3. Dick has a strong admiration and respect for all of the men and women who serve in our fire and emergency response organizations and is proud to work with them.

Dick is married to Becky and they have two grown children, both attorneys. Melissa is a Los Angeles County Public Defender and lives in Avilon, and Richard is the litigation attorney for Taco Bell and lives in Encinitas, California. Becky and Dick live in Hockinson with their dog, Happy.