Richard L. (Dick) Hartley 1936 ~ 2019
Richard L. (Dick) Hartley 1936 ~ 2019
Dick Hartley passed from this life to join his Lord following complications from Lewy Body Dementia on September 5, 2019. Dick was born on January 23, 1936 in Spokane, Washington. During his childhood, his family moved frequently and he attended many different schools. When his parents, Dorothy and Marvin Hartley, settled in Caldwell and then Wilder, Idaho, he established the tireless work ethic that continued through his entire life by delivering the newspaper, picking hops, and working other odd jobs, while filling what was left of his time participating in school sports. Dick was an accomplished athlete who excelled in football, baseball, and basketball. He was also a great dancer. Dick attended Boise Junior College on a basketball scholarship and there met the love of his life, Joyce McClure. They married and started their life together by moving to Salem, Oregon where Dick attended Willamette University while Joyce taught at the Oregon School for the Blind. The newlyweds had good times scraping by in Salem while working to build their future together and they have many tales of adventure from those days such as Dick’s semi-pro team playing against the Harlem Globetrotters, taking Joyce’s blind students to Depoe Bay for a first time ocean holiday, and getting stranded in Burns multiple times on their visits back to family in Idaho.
Dick’s first teaching and coaching position was near Salem in Gervais, Oregon and their daughter Cindy was born there. Soon after they decided to return to Idaho to be closer to family and Dick was hired to teach at Hillside Junior High, and then in 1964 helped to open the newly built Capital High School as Spanish teacher and Varsity Basketball Coach. During his early career years, Dick spent his summers participating in basketball camps, teaching driver’s training, and organizing and facilitating foreign language immersion camps which were part of the National Defense Education Act, the US‘s response to the launch of Sputnik and the perceived technology gap in the nation’s schools.
Dick later became the Vice Principal at Capital High, Principal at Borah High, and completed his career in the Boise School District as the Director of Secondary Education. He most enjoyed the time when he was interacting daily with students as their teacher, coach, or VP. Dick made a positive difference in many students’ lives over the years. In the final stage of his career in education, as Secondary Director, he earned the respect and admiration of many for being a straight-shooter who could always be counted on. His life and career exemplified the traits of hard work, honesty, and loyalty. His advice to the many new teachers he mentored over the years was, “Take care of the kids. That’s all that matters.”
Dick’s greatest pride was in establishing Mountain Cove High School, Boise’s first alternative high school, where students who were at risk of dropping out could find success in a more intimate setting and young mothers were provided childcare so they could bring their babies with them while attending school in a warm and accepting environment.
Although he worked tirelessly throughout his entire life, Dick was a devoted husband and a loving father. His youthful spirit made him a wonderful dad, reading to his young daughter every night, singing and dancing with her, and delighting her with Saturday morning outings. He took great pride in her choice to follow in his path by becoming a teacher herself. His love and support for her was unfailing.
Dick and his wife and daughter share many fond memories of camping at Camp Stover in New Meadows and visiting and traveling with Joyce‘s parents, Earl and Millie McClure of Fruitland, who loved Dick as dearly as if he were their own son. Dick enjoyed fishing for many years and treasured the beauty of the Goose Creek Mountains, the Wood River Valley, and the Stanley Basin. His favorite place though was Kathryn Albertson Park where he could watch for turtles, deer, and blue heron during the years following retirement when he was a Greenbelt Volunteer for the Boise Police Department.
After Dick and Joyce retired from their BSD careers in 1995, they traveled a bit but found that they were most content at home in Boise. They become more closely involved with and found great joy in their church community, Mountain View Church of the Brethren, where Dick served as Worship Leader, Church Elder, and Sunday School Teacher. In these positions his kindness, wisdom, generosity, and love of God earned him the respect and love of his fellow congregants. His faith in God has been a blessing to him.
Dick is survived by his wife Joyce and daughter Cindy.
Much gratitude for the loving care given to Dick by everyone at Morningstar Memory Care at Englefield Green for the last nine months.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 14, 2019 at the Mountain View Church of the Brethren, 2823 N. Cole Road in Boise .
Dick’s first teaching and coaching position was near Salem in Gervais, Oregon and their daughter Cindy was born there. Soon after they decided to return to Idaho to be closer to family and Dick was hired to teach at Hillside Junior High, and then in 1964 helped to open the newly built Capital High School as Spanish teacher and Varsity Basketball Coach. During his early career years, Dick spent his summers participating in basketball camps, teaching driver’s training, and organizing and facilitating foreign language immersion camps which were part of the National Defense Education Act, the US‘s response to the launch of Sputnik and the perceived technology gap in the nation’s schools.
Dick later became the Vice Principal at Capital High, Principal at Borah High, and completed his career in the Boise School District as the Director of Secondary Education. He most enjoyed the time when he was interacting daily with students as their teacher, coach, or VP. Dick made a positive difference in many students’ lives over the years. In the final stage of his career in education, as Secondary Director, he earned the respect and admiration of many for being a straight-shooter who could always be counted on. His life and career exemplified the traits of hard work, honesty, and loyalty. His advice to the many new teachers he mentored over the years was, “Take care of the kids. That’s all that matters.”
Dick’s greatest pride was in establishing Mountain Cove High School, Boise’s first alternative high school, where students who were at risk of dropping out could find success in a more intimate setting and young mothers were provided childcare so they could bring their babies with them while attending school in a warm and accepting environment.
Although he worked tirelessly throughout his entire life, Dick was a devoted husband and a loving father. His youthful spirit made him a wonderful dad, reading to his young daughter every night, singing and dancing with her, and delighting her with Saturday morning outings. He took great pride in her choice to follow in his path by becoming a teacher herself. His love and support for her was unfailing.
Dick and his wife and daughter share many fond memories of camping at Camp Stover in New Meadows and visiting and traveling with Joyce‘s parents, Earl and Millie McClure of Fruitland, who loved Dick as dearly as if he were their own son. Dick enjoyed fishing for many years and treasured the beauty of the Goose Creek Mountains, the Wood River Valley, and the Stanley Basin. His favorite place though was Kathryn Albertson Park where he could watch for turtles, deer, and blue heron during the years following retirement when he was a Greenbelt Volunteer for the Boise Police Department.
After Dick and Joyce retired from their BSD careers in 1995, they traveled a bit but found that they were most content at home in Boise. They become more closely involved with and found great joy in their church community, Mountain View Church of the Brethren, where Dick served as Worship Leader, Church Elder, and Sunday School Teacher. In these positions his kindness, wisdom, generosity, and love of God earned him the respect and love of his fellow congregants. His faith in God has been a blessing to him.
Dick is survived by his wife Joyce and daughter Cindy.
Much gratitude for the loving care given to Dick by everyone at Morningstar Memory Care at Englefield Green for the last nine months.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 14, 2019 at the Mountain View Church of the Brethren, 2823 N. Cole Road in Boise .
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Richard L. (Dick) Hartley 1936 ~ 2019, please visit our flower store.
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