April 23rd, 1942 - January 15th, 2023
Donald Edward Dick, Jr. of Boulder CO passed away peacefully at Boulder Canyon Health and Rehabilitation on Jan 15 after a brave 11 mo battle with the effects from a brain bleed. He was surrounded by friends and loved ones.
Don was born 4/23/42 in Little Rock AR to Murva Catherine Murray and Donald Edward Dick, Sr. He was preceded in death by his parents and his older sister, Marjorie Pearl Dick Adkisson (1935-2010). He is survived by his nieces Kathy Marcinko and Karen Savino and many loving friends and neighbors.
Don moved with his family from AR to Madison, WI as a young teen, where he grew up for the remainder of his youth. It was there that he developed his enduring love of the outdoors. He enjoyed sailing on lakes in WI and later around the country. After his graduation from High School, he attended California Institute of Technology on scholarship and earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. After marrying his first wife, Mary in 1963, the couple returned to Madison, where Don earned his PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin. The couple then moved to Boulder, CO where Don began teaching at the University of Colorado and they built their home in Sunshine Canyon, where Don lived until just before his death. Here, Don’s love of all things outdoors bloomed. He was an avid outdoorsman, hiker, backpacker, downhill and backcountry skier and cyclist in the Colorado Mountains, around the world, and near his home. He married his second wife, Martha (Marty) in 1988. He shared his passions for nature and the outdoors with everyone he met, including his young nieces, occasionally taking them along on his adventures.
In addition to his teaching career at CU, Don was ever the entrepreneur. He was instrumental in the development and distribution of ultrasound technology used to detect early breast cancer. He also partnered in starting a company that made and serviced instruments for monitoring ores in the mining industry, traveling extensively in this capacity. In the late 1980’s, Don co founded Rocky Mountain Retail Systems, developing and marketing technology used to verify checks at point of sale, which was used worldwide by many large companies. After selling this company, he remained on as a consultant for many years under the new ownership, Brainard Technology.
In addition to the outdoors, Don’s true love was being of service to others. He was a member of the Sunshine Canyon Volunteer Fire Department for over 35 years, and continued to be of service in his beloved mountain community whenever he was needed. Don spent many years as a volunteer facilitator for a caregiver’s support group, supporting those who were caring for loved ones. He volunteered at the Nederland Mining Museum, with the Wilderness Restoration Project, and was actively involved with the Quaker Men’s Group for over 35 years. He and his second wife Marty endowed the Higher Education Fund for the Boulder Quaker Meeting. Even into his late 70’s, Don was volunteering as a handyman for the elderly t through a county program, doing small electrical, carpentry and home repair jobs free of charge for those who needed a little help in their home. He was skiing down the back bowls of Copper Mountain, his favorite ski area, on his telemark skis through the trees, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing whenever he could in his beloved mountains. He walked up Bald Mountain every morning for his daily walk with his friend and neighbor. Don also played the piano, the guitar and the bongo drums. Don was always ready to lend a helping hand or a sympathetic ear to anyone who needed it, and he will be truly missed by so many.
A Quaker Memorial Service will be held on Feb 25 at 2:00 pm at the Quaker Meeting House, 1825 Upland Ave, Boulder, CO 80304.
