RICHARD LEROY CLEAVE

Richard L. "Dick" Cleave was born in Mount Vernon, Washington to Leroy and Marjorie Cleave on October 8, 1935. He was a lifelong resident of Mount Vernon, attending Lincoln Elementary School and Mount Vernon High School, graduating in 1954.

He had a wonderful childhood, enjoying camping, fishing, hunting, waterskiing, boating and get-togethers at the family cabin at Juniper Beach on Camano Island, activities he continued with family throughout his life. He was a member of the MVHS swim team with his younger brother Dave and later at Skagit Valley College, and he always attended his children's school sporting events. It was during his youth when he worked in the family's nursery business, Cleaves' Greenhouse, that he developed a green thumb that served him so well in gardening, lawn care, pruning, and growing gorgeous roses at his family's home in Mount Vernon.

Following high school and college Dick joined the US Army at Fort Benning, Georgia, serving his country for two years between the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Returning to Mount Vernon he began his 40-year career as a long haul driver for Skagit Valley Trucking, carrying agricultural products from the Northwest and California. Dick was known as a hard worker while at the same time he was gracious and cheerfully outgoing and could carry on a good conversation with anyone. His trucks were always clean and neat and his family agrees that if God needs semis in heaven, Dick is now driving the prettiest, shiniest one there. In retirement he could be seen around the valley driving dump trucks for Arne Svendsen Trucking, and having coffee with his MVHS swim team members and the men's group from Avon Methodist Church.

Dick died August 3, 2021 at Skagit Valley Hospital with his family gathered in love around him.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Ruby Lee Cleave and sisters Ann and Nancy Cleave. He is survived by his daughters Sheryl (Roger) Oppen, Debora Cleave Trepus, Tracey (Mike) Tellefsen, Shawn (Jeff) Ratzi, and son Gregg (Amy) Cleave; brother David (Barbara) Cleave and sister Mary Cleave; grandchildren Matt and Amy Oppen, Nicole Trepus, Joey (Allysa) Cleave, Cooper and Saige Danby, Bryce, Brady and Ben Cleave; and great-grandchildren Grant and Kelsey Cleave.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 18, 2021 at Hawthorne Funeral Home, Mount Vernon, Washington.

Please visit www.hawthornefh.com to share your thoughts and memories and sign the online guest register.

Arrangements are under the care of Hawthorne Funeral Home, Mount Vernon, WA.