Richard E. Dunham, 86, of Clinton, died at Providence Hospital in Everett unexpectedly from heart complications on Aug. 27, 2010.

Richard was born on Nov. 22, 1924 in Fresno, Calif. to Jack and Clara Dunham.

In 1942, he left high school to become a pilot in the Army Air Corps. During the war, he met Carrie Kopasis while she was waitressing at her father’s restaurant in Martinez, Calif. He shipped out the next week, but their love flourished. They were married as soon as the war was over. And that love continued to flourish for more than 65 years. They lived in California and Alaska, and retired to Whidbey Island in 1982, where they built their own home.

Richard spent most of his working life in the insurance industry, receiving many accolades and awards, including president of the California Independent Insurance Agents Association and president of the Fresno Insurance Association. He also started the insurance degree program in the California junior colleges and wrote its first textbook. He was also on the Fresno Schools Business Advisory Board and an active member of the Lions Club. In his spare time, he was the Scoutmaster for his son’s Boy Scout troop.

Richard was a member of the California Water Resources Board and was an honored guest of President Kennedy at the groundbreaking for the California Aqueduct. He organized and served for several years as director of the Alaska Dump Truckers Association. He also spent several years as a lobbyist in Juneau, earning the friendship and respect of governors and many legislators for his honesty and candor.

When he was 11 years old, Richard was hospitalized with a childhood disease and was cured at the Shriner’s Hospital for Children. Eternally grateful, he vowed to someday pay them back. He did so by becoming a Mason in 1961, joining Scottish Rite in 1970 and becoming charter member No. 139 in the Alaska Shrine in Anchorage. In Alaska, he was editor of Shriners Magazine and served in the Clown Unit, raising tens of thousands of dollars for Children’s Hospital.

Richard was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church and built all the cabinets for the new church in his garage.

Richard is survived by his wife Carrie and his four children, Paul and wife Kathleen of Fresno, Calif.; Pamela Tesche (late husband Allen) of Anchorage, Alaska; Susan Goodman and husband Larry of Seattle; and Cynthia Olsen and husband Eric of Spokane. He is also survived by six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland.