Richard Lloyd ‘Dick’ Dickerboom
In memory of Richard “Dick” Dickerboom, March 30, 1935 to Feb. 25 2023, 87 years.
Richard passed away leaving Arlene, his high school sweetheart and loving wife of 65 years, his children Gregory (Weatherford, Texas), Deanna Rosen and husband Keith (Redmond), Kristine Moe and husband Chris (Sumas), grandchildren Caitlin and husband Kevin Steuer, Hannah Rosen, Rachael Rosen, David Moe and wife Tina, Jonathan Moe and wife Michelle.
Six great-grandchildren Kyle, Braden, Ben, Laura, Tim and Evelynn. He also leaves his nephew, Todd Dickerboom and niece, Nicole Nims.
Richard was predeceased by his parents Lloyd and Hazel Dickerboom and his brother and sister-in-law, Ronald and Juanita Dickerboom, as well as his father and mother-in-law, Gay and Bernice Digerness.
Born in Everett, Dick moved with his parents Lloyd and Hazel to his grandmother’s farm on Reese Hill where the family residence is to this day.
Dick attended Nooksack Valley High School, graduated from Western Washington College with a teaching degree. He went on to teach high school science in Raymond and in Lynden.
Dick met longtime friend and mentor Dr. Robert P. Gibb and left teaching to join Dr. Gibb in the field of pathology.
After working for Gibb Laboratory and St. Joseph Hospital for several years, Dick left Gibb Lab when an opportunity arose to purchase Sumas True Value Hardware in his and Arlene’s home town of Sumas. This became a true family affair with many relatives providing their skills.
Dick and Arlene grew the business to include another store in the Fairway Center in Lynden.
After several years, another opportunity arose in Sumas where Dick and Marlin Bayes, a former student converted the hardware store warehouse (Sumas Grange Hall) into The Lone Jack Saloon.
The Lone Jack Saloon became such a successful business that Dick and Arlene sold and closed the hardware stores to devote full time to the Saloon. Dick and Arlene retired from the restaurant in 2002.
Dick, an avid sportsman, loved bird hunting with his labrador retrievers, hunting for deer and moose, fishing for salmon and other seafood.
He and Arlene enjoyed traveling in their RV throughout the greater Northwest and Canada with friends and family. Every season of the year had an outdoor activity. He always had close friends and family that would jump at the chance to go with him.
Dick also had a love of automobiles. A member of AARC, a local car club, Dick hand-built numerous cars that had just a bit more power than the next person. Some of these cars that he built with longtime local friends and club members.
As long as your vehicle was a Ford, you were alright in his eyes. In retirement, Dick built six cars. All showed a level of quality and beauty that screamed Best in Show as evidenced by the many trophies he collected.
Dick was a family man. He devoted much of his spare time to visits and travels in the Northwest to family, boating and camping in Puget Sound and British Columbia.
Dick leaves us with many fantastic, beautiful memories, long time close friends and business associates. He will be dearly missed.
A celebration of Richard’s life is being planned and will be posted on the Gillies Funeral Home website.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services.
