Dick was a man of few words, deep commitments and a life-long interest in learning. He was born May 22, 1943, in Fort Monmouth Army Garrison, NJ. During his teen years, he came to love hunting and hiking in the Montana mountains. In 1961 he graduated from Great Falls High School, where he excelled in biology, math and physics.
Carleton was a great fit for him. While we were studying for Chemistry-Physics 10, Dick and I spent hours learning the background of how a slide rule functions, and the use of the various scales. He enjoyed evenings studying with one or more friends at “The Lib”. Dick special interest was botany, and as a biology major, he eagerly took all the courses he could from his favorite professor, Dr. William Muir. He spent hours learning plant taxonomy, and he loved the sound of the name of one of his favorites, Pseudotsuga taxifolia, the Douglas Fir.
Dick was most comfortable in the outdoors, and enjoyed physical exercise. In the summers he worked on, and later was a boss on trail crews in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, in the northwestern Rocky Mountains. In the winters he enjoyed speed-skating on the ice rink in the Bald Spot. He liked to have dinner with friends and to hang out with his close friends. He was interested in classical music and photography.
After graduation from Carleton, Dick obtained a Masters Degree in Biology at the University of Oregon in 1967. He enlisted in the Navy later in 1967, entering as an ensign. He married Jean Schacht (’64) in Rochester MN October 2, 1968 during a brief leave from the Navy. They had dated for several years at Carleton. Dick was stationed on the Destroyer Escort Claud Jones (DE-1033), based in Hawaii. While he was in San Diego for anti-submarine warfare training, we got together and enjoyed renewing our friendship and doing a bit of sightseeing in the San Diego area. Dick rose to Lieutenant J.G. rank, and he was well-liked by the men under his command, with a reputation for being tough but fair. He was honorably discharged in 1971.
Dick taught at Faribault Academy in 1972. In 1973 he began working in the Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN; he worked in various laboratories and departments until the end of his life. He was a member of the Mayo Rifle Association. Dick was divorced from Jean in 1977. He married Mary Jean Fiksen in Kasson MN in 1978 and adopted her two children, a son, Lowell, and a daughter, Marsha Marie. Mary died of cancer in 1995. Then in May 1996 Dick married Marlene J. Graves in Rochester. Unfortunately, he died September 17, 1996 of cancer and is buried at South Zumbro Lutheran Church Cemetery in rural Kasson, near Rochester. He was an optical engineer technician at Mayo Clinic, where I am sure that his expertise and problem-solving skills were highly appreciated.
David Hopkins (’65), with the assistance of Jean A. Olsen (’64), Sharon Walker (’64), and David Kohl (’65).
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Dick was a man of few words, deep commitments and a life-long interest in learning. He was born May 22, 1943, in Fort Monmouth Army Garrison, NJ. During his teen years, he came to love hunting and hiking in the Montana mountains. In 1961 he graduated from Great Falls High School, where he excelled in biology, math and physics.
Carleton was a great fit for him. While we were studying for Chemistry-Physics 10, Dick and I spent hours learning the background of how a slide rule functions, and the use of the various scales. He enjoyed evenings studying with one or more friends at “The Lib”. Dick special interest was botany, and as a biology major, he eagerly took all the courses he could from his favorite professor, Dr. William Muir. He spent hours learning plant taxonomy, and he loved the sound of the name of one of his favorites, Pseudotsuga taxifolia, the Douglas Fir.
Dick was most comfortable in the outdoors, and enjoyed physical exercise. In the summers he worked on, and later was a boss on trail crews in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, in the northwestern Rocky Mountains. In the winters he enjoyed speed-skating on the ice rink in the Bald Spot. He liked to have dinner with friends and to hang out with his close friends. He was interested in classical music and photography.
After graduation from Carleton, Dick obtained a Masters Degree in Biology at the University of Oregon in 1967. He enlisted in the Navy later in 1967, entering as an ensign. He married Jean Schacht (’64) in Rochester MN October 2, 1968 during a brief leave from the Navy. They had dated for several years at Carleton. Dick was stationed on the Destroyer Escort Claud Jones (DE-1033), based in Hawaii. While he was in San Diego for anti-submarine warfare training, we got together and enjoyed renewing our friendship and doing a bit of sightseeing in the San Diego area. Dick rose to Lieutenant J.G. rank, and he was well-liked by the men under his command, with a reputation for being tough but fair. He was honorably discharged in 1971.
Dick taught at Faribault Academy in 1972. In 1973 he began working in the Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN; he worked in various laboratories and departments until the end of his life. He was a member of the Mayo Rifle Association. Dick was divorced from Jean in 1977. He married Mary Jean Fiksen in Kasson MN in 1978 and adopted her two children, a son, Lowell, and a daughter, Marsha Marie. Mary died of cancer in 1995. Then in May 1996 Dick married Marlene J. Graves in Rochester. Unfortunately, he died September 17, 1996 of cancer and is buried at South Zumbro Lutheran Church Cemetery in rural Kasson, near Rochester. He was an optical engineer technician at Mayo Clinic, where I am sure that his expertise and problem-solving skills were highly appreciated.
David Hopkins (’65), with the assistance of Jean A. Olsen (’64), Sharon Walker (’64), and David Kohl (’65).