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The Seattle Times, Washington, 26 September 2019
Richard John Myhre
Richard John (Dick) Myhre, who served his country faithfully during World War II and his family with love and devotion for more than 70 years, entered into the holy presence of his Lord Jesus Christ on September 16, 2019. He was 98 years old.
To those who knew him, Dick was a man of remarkable decency, kindness and compassion. He savored his time with family and friends. He always put the concerns of others before his own. He rarely raised his voice unless it was to cheer on his beloved University of Washington Huskies. And his profound faith in the face of hardships, including the relentless disease that finally ended his life, was an inspiration to all.
A man of many interests, he found solace fishing in quiet mountain streams. He enjoyed digging clams and chopping firewood at his waterfront Birch Bay home. He delighted in helping the needy, including the 14 overseas children he supported financially and with letters of encouragement. He loved good books and was always keen to learn something new. But his greatest passion was his Christian faith, and he never wavered from the belief that God had a purpose and plan for his life. In his final weeks, he was quick to share his faith with the doctors and nurses at the medical appointments that ultimately proved unsuccessful in prolonging his life. When the fateful prognosis became certain, he faced it with courage and acceptance, never uttering a bitter word.
Dick was born in Tacoma on December 11, 1920. The son of Carl and Florence Myhre, he was raised in the Ballard area of Seattle, though he graduated from Kent High School in 1939. He later joined the National Guard and was mobilized to active duty in September of 1940. He was stationed at Fort Lewis outside of Tacoma when Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941, and within four months he was on a troop ship headed to Efate in the New Hebrides Islands. Having received sanitation and medical training, he served in hospitals in the New Hebrides and later New Zealand before being assigned to a malaria-control unit on Saipan in the Marianas Islands. He was on Saipan in August of 1945 when the war ended.
After the war, Dick enrolled at the U.W. and received an undergraduate degree in fisheries science in 1950, followed by a master's degree in 1960. He began working as a biologist at the International Pacific Halibut Commission in May of 1949 and remained for 36 years, including the final 14 years as assistant director.
Dick married his wife Dorothy in May of 1949, and they settled in Edmonds to raise four children. They were active in the Edmonds United Methodist Church, and enjoyed square dancing, playing bridge and other activities with a special group of friends. After his retirement in 1985, he and Dorothy spent their remaining years in Edmonds and at homes in Birch Bay and Mesa, Arizona. He was preceded in death by Dorothy in 2013.
In his final days, Dick cited one of his guiding scriptures, Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight." They were important words to him in this life, and they took him safely into eternal life.
Dick is survived by son Craig Knowlton (Sheryl) of Edgewood, son Keith Knowlton (Julie) of Kirkland, daughter Doy Groenenberg (Calvin) of Yakima, and son Richard Myhre Jr. (Joyce) of Edmonds. In addition, he is survived by 11 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
An interment service for immediate family will be held at Woodlawn Cemetery in Ferndale. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5,
at Garden Street United Methodist Church in Bellingham. Memorials may be made in Dick's name to Compassion International or the Whatcom Hospice Foundation.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1920 - 1919