Richard Glenn Deleissegues

Richard Glenn Deleissegues passed away September 9, 2018, after a short illness. Dick was born in Santa Maria, CA, on December 7, 1936. In 1946 his family moved to Alturas, in Modoc County, in Northern California. Dick was captain of his high school track team and played three years of varsity football for the Modoc Braves. He became an Eagle Scout and enjoyed the program so much he performed all the requirements a second time. Dick worked summers at the local saw mill through high school and all through college. He earned a full scholarship to the University of Nevada, Reno, Mackey School of Mines, but discovered he was claustrophobic underground and changed course to Civil Engineering. He was president of his fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha, and graduated with an Army ROTC Commission. In the Army, Dick served Active Duty in the Air Defense branch, working at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, TX. He continued in the Army Reserves, Corps of Engineers until 1994, retiring as a full Colonel and graduate of the U.S. Army War College. When he was released from active service he spent a summer working with the Forest Service, leading a survey crew. His boss discovered he was a graduate engineer and sent his information to the Regional Office. Dick was promoted and transferred to the Angeles National Forest in Pasadena, California. He noticed the receptionist, Rebecca Hodges, waited for him to help fold the flag each night. He and Rebecca married in 1964 and combined their Baptist and Catholic backgrounds to become Presbyterians and Dick served in several churchs as elder, deacon and Sunday school teacher. They moved with the Forest Service to Redding, CA; Crestline, CA; Manassas, VA; Missoula, MT; and then Martinez, CA. He worked on many major projects, including the California Water Project, Silverwood Reservoir, June Lake Loop, and the Tahoe Basin. He served as Assistant Regional Engineer of Region 1 in Missoula, and then Regional Engineer for Region 5, in California. Dick had a long tradition of public service. He served on city planning commissions in both Missoula and Martinez before being appointed to Clark County planning commission where he served for 15 years, including several years as chairman. He and Becky became Fire Hazard volunteers for Fire District 3 in 1996. Dick was elected Fire Commissioner for Fire District 3 in 2000, where he continued to serve into his third term. Dick and Becky celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2016. He is survived by Becky and children Richard (Johanna) and Melissa Mertens (David), four grandchildren, Natasha Dmitri, Richard Diego and Lewis, sister Ann Bofferding (Darrell), sister-in-law, Susie Wood, and several dear nieces and nephews and many cousins. Dick was thankful for the life he lived, the family he created as well as all the great friendships he made in the Forest Service, Army, Presbyterian Church, and Fire District, along with neighbor families. A Memorial Service will be held September 23, at 2:00, Columbia Presbyterian Church, Vancouver, WA followed by military internment October 8th, 12:30 at Miramar National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, remembrances in Dick's name may be made to his favorite organizations: Veterans of Foreign Wars; Open House Ministries of Vancouver; or Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, California.

Richard Glenn Deleissegues

December 7, 1939 - September 9, 2018