Dick was born on the Walker homestead, a farm in western Illinois. His father worked as county farm adviser, helped organize most of the soil conservation districts in Illinois, and wasan enthusiastic amateur naturalist. His father later became professor of Soil Science at the University of Illinois. Dick's mother had been a schoolteacher. These early experiences inspired Dick to study botany. He earned his BS at the University of Illinois in 1938 and his PhD at University of California, Berkeley in 1948. There he shared a lab with fellow botany graduate student Helen Bramsch; they married in 1940.Their graduate studies were soon interrupted by his service as an Artillery Officer in the Army in Venezuela and PanamA¡. He left the service in 1945 with the rank of Lt Colonel, having earned the great respect of those who had served with him.When he completed his PhD he was hired into the Botany Department at the University of Washington, where he spent his whole career. He was Chair of the Department from 1962-1971. He valued good teaching highly and worked hard at being an effective teacher. Many have praised him as the best teacher they had ever had. As Chair he strongly supported development of undergraduate biology courses and an interdisciplinary biology major; from 1975-1982 he was Director of the Office of Biology Education.His research had a strong interdisciplinary focus, encompassing broad areas of plant physiology, nutrition, ecology, and adaptation. He was also Adjunct Professor in forestry from 1977-1985. From 1958-1986 he was a member of 6 expeditions to the Marshall Islands to study uptake into plants of radioisotopes generated by the hydrogen bombs. Their reports were among the first to point out the unrecognized dangers of lingering radiation on plants. After mandatory retirement at age 70, he remained active in research and as a contributing member of the Department. The photo above was taken at a serpentine ecology conference in Cuba in 2003.Generous with his time and expertise, Dick believed in service. He acted as mentor to many, including younger faculty members, graduate, undergraduate, and high school students. He gladly offered programs and professional advice to community groups. He served on various university committees, including the Campus Landscape Committee, and as founding co-chair of the University Bicycle Advisory Committee. He biked to work until his hip replacement at age 86.Besides botany, he and Helen shared quick wit, keen intelligence, love of family and friends, an artistic eye, and adventuresome spirits. They loved to travel, had lived in Europe, and were as comfortable there as in the US. Dick had visited every continent except Antarctica. They were steadfast in their love through thick and thin. The saddest event of his life was Helen's death in 1990, just before their 50th wedding anniversary. One of his greatest sources of joy and pride were his three children, three grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.He had a wide circle of friends, both here and abroad, and an abiding interest in each of them. One of his few regrets seemed to be that there was never enough time to see or correspond with each of them as often as he wished.He was commenting on articles in Science and cracking puns until a few days before he died peacefully of pneumonia at age 93 after a long, happy, and productive life.Dick touched the lives of many with his kindness, intelligence, knowledge, humor, and affection. He lives on in us all, encouraged as we are by his example of grace, breadth, and pursuit of excellence.A memorial gathering will be held at 1:30 PM Sunday, August 8, 2010, at Architecture Hall auditorium (Room 147) at the University of Washington. A reception will follow at the Botany Greenhouse, where he and Helen both worked for many years. Remembrances may be made to the endowment being established in his honor at the University of Washington Department of Biology (formerly Botany), Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98195.We hope to see you at the memorial gathering.

Dick and Helen's Children:

Mary Ellen

Elizabeth (Liz)

Richard (Dick/Rick) and his wife RandeeRichard and Randee's Children:

Richard (Rick)

Roxanne (Roxy)

Raab and his wife Alison

Raab and Alison's Children:

DylanMorgan

And our loving extended family