Richard Harris Loutzenhiser aka: Dick, Wild Richard, Major L, Papa

Born in Yelm, Washington on December 11, 1925, to Floss and Richard Loutzenhiser from Michigan. He was the third of 3 children in the family. Jack, Phyllis and Richard (Dick) grew up on a homestead farm growing fruits and vegetables and farm animals. He graduated from Yelm High School in 1944 and was drafted in the same month. In fact, both his diploma and his draft papers came in the same envelope! He began his military career in 1944 in Europe WWII as a gunner on a point jeep followed by the GI bill to attend University of Washington and received a degree in speech pathology in 1952. He received his call back to duty and his degree in the same envelope again!

During his days as a Husky, he met and married Bobbett (Bobby) Gilbert and was deployed to active duty in Korea during the Korean Conflict. He was then sent to Japan working at the supply depot and was joined by his wife. In 1957, he welcomed his daughter Lisa and the family was transferred to Fort Hood, Texas. Here he was very active volunteering with the Boy Scouts. Promoted to officer status, and stationed in Germany, in charge of the Army Newspapers in Europe, he was actually working in IO (Intelligence Office). After Germany he was transferred to the Pentagon in the IO for a couple years until he was “requested” to go to Vietnam due to his particular skills. Pleiku, Vietnam found him in command of a forward firing center and he was there until he was injured and air evacuated out to Guam, Hawaii, Seattle and in the hospital for a long time. He retired in June 1970, as an O4-Major and moved to Camano Island, Washington.

He built a home on Driftwood Shores and volunteered in various ways for the community. His wife, Bobby died in 1976 and Lisa graduated from the original Stanwood High School the same year.

He met and married his current wife, Mary Lou McCoskrie in 1980 still living on Driftwood Shores.

He lived on Camano Island for 54 years during which time he was very active in the Country Club Station as a volunteer fireman, Island County Planning Commission, The Stanwood Camano Fair and Fair Board, Stanwood Coin Club, Stanwood Lions Club, Stanwood Parade Float, and AARP income tax preparer. In 1981, they opened the first H&R Block franchise in Stanwood which they operated until 1989 when they sold it and retired. Not done yet, he bought and opened the King Building in old town Stanwood and operated The Sweet Tooth candy and ice cream store and the Husfliden (House of Handcraft). In 1990, selling the Driftwood Shores home and building a forever home on the bluff above Livingston Bay, they started Island Breadworks, selling at the Farmer’s Markets for 3 years while still volunteering all over the county. Bought a motorhome and traveled, finding a Snowbird Home in the Palm Springs area near the stepchildren (Matthew Gardner and Wendy and David Pachur) and grandchildren (Tabetha and Timothy) . Feeding his need for the ocean, they spent 8 years going back and forth to Oahu, Hawaii, spending time enjoying the island’s Aloha.

His favorite pastimes were fishing, bird watching, nature exploring, rock collecting, coin collecting, writing,(Washington State History for Middle Schoolers), Fair volunteer for the Blacksmith Shop and Post Office and Woodworking Museum with the Lion’s Club of Stanwood.

He was much loved and respected by family and friends, and died peacefully on Thanksgiving Day November 28, 2024, age 98—- 2 weeks short of 99 years old.

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