Richard Neil Gilbreth
Richard Neil Gilbreth
Richard Neil Gilbreth was born on July 4, 1949. He passed away on January 3, 2015, in the
early morning hours as a result of a cardiac arrest earlier that week. Dick was
born in Spokane and except for a short
time living in Portland, spent his childhood and school years
there. Dick graduated from Shadle Park
High School in Spokane in 1967. He
received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education in 1971 from Eastern Washington
State in Cheney, Washington. Upon
graduation in 1971, Dick was offered and accepted a job in Boise, Idaho, with
the Boise School District as a Speech/Language Pathologist. Dick completed his Master of Science in
Speech Pathology and Audiology from Idaho State University in 1975. Dick is a past President of the Idaho Speech,
Language, and Hearing Association (ISHA).
Dick worked for the Boise School District his
whole career, 35 years. He retired in
May of 2006.
Dick always said he was fortunate to have discovered his
interest in speech and language while completing his undergraduate degree. Although he worked with students in junior
high and high school during his career, his true calling was working with
students in elementary school. Dick especially
enjoyed working with children ages 3-5 and he had a gift for engaging them in therapy
through play. Dick loved his profession and enjoyed puzzling over the best way
to help individual students reach their potential.
Dick was an avid and exceptionally good bowler for much
of his life and cherished his friendships from that time. He had not bowled in recent years but spoke often
of his “300” games, trips for tournaments, his many bowling teammates and the
bowling alleys he spent so many evenings in. He also loved his trips to Jackpot
and other casinos. He specialized in
video poker and dollar slots and would get “feelings” when slots would
hit. He loved fishing and had recently
started that hobby again, out-fishing his sister and Joe at Lake Roosevelt. Dick was an expert in World War II history
and loved American Indian art. Dick had
so many interests; he was always learning new things from the Smithsonian
channel or some “How it’s Made” type show.
Of course those TV shows were only watched when there was no baseball,
hockey or football on! Dick was a
football player and wrestler in his high school days and he loved sports. He was on softball leagues and dart leagues
for many years and also enjoyed being with his friends during those times. He was a faithful Seattle Mariners fan,
although he did question that faith many times…. Professional hockey was his second favorite
sport these last few years; he admired the work of “Sid the Kid” with the
Pittsburg Penguins. Once Brett Farve
left the Green Bay Packers he could actually miss Packer games with no pain,
but as a general rule, just loved watching any football games.
Dick loved to make people laugh. If he could get a smile from you when you
were having a bad day, he considered that day a success.
Dick leaves behind his partner Dorothy King; his son
Mitchell Gilbreth of Spokane; his son Brent Gilbreth of Kennewick and Brent’s
sons Riley and Braydon; the daughter-of-his-heart Skye Aldridge (husband Jake
and baby Elliott); his sister Lyn (Joe) Ross of Spokane and Apache Junction,
AZ; sister Holly (Bob) Stevens of Spokane; brother Steve Gilbreth of Mukilteo,
WA, and many much loved nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father James Gilbreth and his mother
Marilyn Gilbreth MacDowell.
If you wish to do something to honor Dick’s memory,
please consider taking time to read a book to a child or have a conversation
with a friend. He would like that…
Memorial services will be held at 3:00 p.m., Saturday,
January 10, 2015, at the Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel, 5400 Fairview Ave.,
Boise, Idaho.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Richard Neil Gilbreth, please visit our flower store.
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