Richard Allan Osterholt, 95, passed away at Regency on Whidbey Harbor Care in Oak Harbor, Tuesday, May 8, 2012, following a brief illness.
Richard (Dick) was born March 24, 1917 to Allan Herman and Flora Marie (Tanner) Osterholt in Los Angeles. He graduated from Polytechnic High School in Los Angeles in 1935. He was married to Bonita Slane for 27 years and had two children, David and Joan; he also had one brother, William.
Richard married Elizabeth (TenBrink) Faber on June 16, 1972, in Port Hueneme, Calif. Dick and Betty built a new home in Mukilteo and lived there from 1972 to 1981. While in Mukilteo, they were active in the Mukilteo Presbyterian Church where they taught Sunday school and participated in many activities, and assisted in the expansion and remodeling of the church. Richard also served as an elder, trustee and treasurer there. In 1981, they moved to Oak Harbor. Richard had currently been a member of the Oak Harbor First Reformed Church.
Richard worked for the F.W. Woolworth Company from 1935 to 1951 in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Bellingham. In 1952, he purchased his own variety store in Lake City (Seattle) called Bonrick Ten-cent Store. He later purchased a wholesale toy and party goods company, called Bonrick Sales Company, for which he was the salesman, with a route that covered most of Washington. After retiring from sales, Richard sold real estate part time in the Everett area and developed several plots of land in the Mercer Island and Mukilteo areas.
Richard was a staunch supporter of Northwest Harvest and local food banks. For over 30 years, he worked to supply apples for these facilities by organizing work parties to go into orchards and pick the surplus fruit. He and Betty also donated thousands of pounds of potatoes and other food items as they were needed. For these efforts, in 1994 Dick and Betty were recipients of the prestigious Jefferson Award for community service.
Richard is survived by his children, David (Linda) Osterholt of Kirkland, and Joan (Ron) Dungey of Renton; step-children, Dennis (Renee) Faber of Oak Harbor and Darlene (Fred) Arnold of Ferndale, step son-in-law Frank VandeWerfhorst; eight grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Osterholt, in 2010, step-daughter Shelly VandeWerfhorst in 2008, parents and brother William (Jane) Osterholt.
A graveside service will be Monday, May 14, at 1 p.m. at Fircrest Cemetery, followed by a memorial service at the First Reformed Church at 2 p.m., Pastor Jon Brown officiating. Memorials may be made to the Oak Harbor Help House, 1091 SE Hathaway St., Oak Harbor, WA 98277. Family and friends are encouraged to share memories and condolences at www.whidbeymemorial.com.
