Richard DeWitt “Dick” Sargent of Hermiston passed on to Heaven on May 30, 2026 at the age of 92.
Dick was born in Randolph, Vt. on April 16, 1934 to Victor and Gertrude Sargent.
He and his family moved out West in 1936, where they settled in Hood River in 1942. Dick’s classmates nicknamed him Teddy after Teddy Roosevelt. He was involved in 4-H and had a special horse, Sacajawea, that he loved very much. Dick and his dad would ride from Hood River to The Dalles all night so they could go to the rodeo there. He graduated from high school there in 1952. He attended OTI in Klamath Falls following high school. His summers were spent working for the Krebs Ranch in Cecil while in school and he became a full-time employee after college. Dick met his future wife at a feed store in Bend in 1953. They married in October 1955 and they settled in Cecil. They welcomed their daughter, Rhonda in the fall of 1956 after attending a chivalry celebration. Fun times and hard work while in Cecil and lasting friendships made.
The family of three moved to Bend in 1958. Son Mark was born in 1959 in Bend. Dick worked at Eastern Oregon Iron Works before being hired at Brooks-Scanlon Lumber Mill in 1960. He quickly moved up and became assistant personnel manager in 1961. As assistant manager, he also volunteered to fill in if shorthanded anywhere in the mill plus fulfilling his manager job.
Dick became a 4-H leader for the Young Stockman’s Livestock Club. He also joined Toastmasters and a bowling league and taught first aid. In his free time, he hunted and fished while improving any homes they lived in.
In 1966, Dick accepted a job as personnel manager at Kinzua Corporation in Kinzua. He and his family moved there in October 1966. Dick and Lynnea quickly got involved in the community – square dancing and church. Dick formed a 4-H livestock club, the Sagebrushers. Dick served on the Fossil School Board and taught first aid courses in Kinzua and Spray. He wore many hats in Kinzua, from driving ambulance to traveling the road between Kinzua and Fossil in the winter to make sure the school buses could make it over the mountain. He headed up fire crews and safety classes, as well.
In 1971, Dick and Lynnea established a Coast to Coast store in Heppner. They ran the store from 1971 to 1980 when they sold the business. They bought a 6-acre place with a home on the outskirts of Heppner. This allowed the family to raise sheep and have a couple horses. Dick started the Hoof & Horn Livestock Club, where he was very involved with kids and their projects. He was a volunteer ambulance driver and hosted 4-H exchange students in the summertime. He was active in the Lions Club and instrumental in bringing entertainment such as a table tennis championship event and Portland wrestlers. Wherever Dick saw a need, he jumped in to help. He helped build the “Dome” Assembly of God Church in the early 1980s.
Dick loved to backpack in the Wallowa Mountains. Dick, Mark and son-in-law Dave hiked to Mt. Washington over the Pacific Crest Trail. They had the best time! Dick hunted in Canada and Alaska with friends and family, which were all successful hunts and memories to last a lifetime. He took a month-long road trip to Alaska with his friend, Bob Beck. They camped along the way and had the best time.
Dick went to work at MCGG in 1982, where he retired in 1996. Retirement opened up a whole new life of work, volunteering, grandkids’ events and traveling. He loved to travel with their travel group (cruises and tours). Australia was one of his favorite trips. Dick and Lynnea treated their family of kids, their spouses and grandkids to a trip to Cancun to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. What a great time! Dick and Lynnea were very active in their church. Dick loved serving God and people. His four grandsons were the apple of his eye and he spent a lot of time with them, working on projects or going on a trip, watching their sporting events. Dick maintained and worked at the high school baseball field for quite a few years while his grandson was in high school.
In 2004, Dick won Man of Year by the Heppner chamber. He was truly honored. A few years later, he met Tomas Elguezabal and they struck up a friendship that lasted for years. They had many good times together. Dick was also involved in the Tea Party in Heppner. He was a strong patriot who loved this country.
In 2012 Dick and Lynnea moved to Hermiston, where they maintained a beautiful home. They quickly became involved in their church and met wonderful friends there. He volunteered to work on property cleanups and wherever he saw a need. Then the great-grandkids started coming and boy, life got even better. He adored them and loved the visits from them.
Dick wrote a diary starting from when he was a little boy but became more dedicated to keeping a diary in the mid-1950s. He kept notes and daily events and weather along with family goings on. His family has referred to these wonderful journals many times. Dick was a ponderer; he’d often bring up a subject and say, “Let’s ponder that!”
As Dick got older, he spent more and more time on his computer writing. He had written several stories for the Morrow County Chronicles. He loved history and researching. Dick taught many Bible studies the past 20 or so years. He loved the Bible, and his personal relationship with God drove him to serve others and teach classes to help others grow close to God. He was passionate about the things he believed in – God, country and family.
Dick is going to be deeply missed by all who loved him, but we will be reunited with him again.
Dick is survived by his wife of 70 years, Lynnea; daughter, Rhonda (Dave); grandson, Travis (Laura), Ellsie and Finley; grandson, Josh (Haley), Addie, Sutton, Knox and Vivian; son, Mark (Gail); grandson, Ben (Sara), Aniah and
Hale; grandson, Tim (Cameron), Frances (Dave), Monica and Jonathan; and nieces and nephews who were very special to him. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Donnalee; and brother, Jack.
A celebration of life service will be held on Friday, June 26, 2026 at 1 p.m. at the Hermiston Christian Center, 1825 W. Highland Ave.
Please share memories of Dick with his family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
