Richard "Dick" Sackmann

home. He was born November 10, 1919 in the German community of Ritzville WA. to

Martin and Caroline (Hille) Sackmann. He was raised on a wheat farm that was

homesteaded by his German immigrant parents. At the age of 12 he set a long jump

record and graduated from Odessa High school at age 16. He went on to the University

of Washington and received a degree in pharmacy then entered the University of Oregon Medical School, later specializing in anesthesia. He worked on the family farm and worked as a longshoreman in Seattle. His fellow longshoreman took great care of "Doc" and his hands. While attending Medical school 1942 he married the love of his life Eleanore Schauerman and enjoyed his marriage for 68 years. They met at church.

Eleanore accompanied him on the organ and piano as he sang for the congregation, all in German. He then graduated from the University of Oregon Medical School in 1947 and interned at Swedish Hospital and completed his specialty residences at Swedish and

Tacoma Hospitals. He came to Yakima in 1950 and established the first anesthesia

service. He entered the Air Force and lived in Burtonwood England while serving his

country. He returned to Yakima in 1955 and established physicians Anesthesia

Associates with Dr. Robert Fisher. PAA continues to this day. He served as President of

the St Elizabeth medical staff: Yakima County Medical Society, and Chief of Staff at St

Elizabeths Medical Center. For 35 years he served as a dedicated doctor to his patients

and colleagues and retired in 1985. Hard work, honesty and integrity were of the utmost

importance.

Rich is survived by his wife and sweetheart Eleanore, son Richard Sackmann and wife

Shirley Baurn Sackmann and the grandchildren, Christopher and wife Julia and great

granddaughter Sophia, grandson, Matthew and wife Lianna, daughter Susan Jonsson and husband Dwight Jonsson and grandsons Dwight and Andrew, daughter Christine Ehlers and husband Ken Ehlers, son David Sackmann and wife Robin and grandchildren Carrie. William and Trevor Sackmann and his Sister Wilma Lee. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Bertha Sackmann. Martha McKinnon, brothers, Herbert and Milton Sackmann.

He played as hard as he worked. Rich was a founding member of the Yakima Tennis

Club and member of the original White Pass Ski Club. Tennis and skiing were his

passion and continued both until the age of 88. Hunting and especially fishing were close

seconds. Skiing took him from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Europe

with Eleanore and his children. For 20 years, Kapalua, Maui was a favorite destination for

tennis and family time. Almost every vacation included his children and grandchildren.

He wanted his children to learn and see the world. He loved his family and shared stories

of his childhood on the wheat farm, some of them historical and others hysterical.

Richard had a great sense of humor. He was the rock and center of our family. We will miss him dearly.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Memorial Foundation or charity of your choice.

A Memorial Service will be 1:00 p.m. Thursday, December 20, 2012 at First Presbyterian Church.

To share a memory of Richard, visit www.keithandkeith.com