Thomas Eugene Richl

Mr. Richl passed away on July 10, 2006 after a year long illness with ALS Lou Gehrig?s disease. He was born in South Sioux City, Nebraska in 1923 and lived there until he joined the US Navy at age 17. He served on several ships, including the USS Memphis, a light cruiser, and the Thomas F. Nickel, a Destroyer Escort, in both the Pacific and Atlantic war fronts until being honorably discharged in 1945. He attended the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, South Dakota and married his wife of 56 years, Eileen M. Peters, during his senior year. He graduated in 1950 with a BS in Civil Engineering. Mr. Richl moved to Seattle in 1954 to work for the Boeing Company, and continued working for 26 years as a Structures Engineer until 1978. While at Boeing, he learned to fly single engine land airplanes and obtained a pilots license. In 1968, he attained a Professional Engineering Certificate and starting doing private consulting. He designed his retirement home at Colony Surf Club near Hoodsport, WA and completed construction in 1974. He actively served on the Colony Surf Board of Directors for three years, one as the President of the association. In 1978, after retirement, he began doing private engineering consulting preparing Geotechnical Reports and Geological Assessments, until his death. He is survived by his three children: Michael, Thomas, Jr, and Salli Roberts; his three grandchildren: Brian, Chris and Alex; and his sisters: Cleo Brehm and Darlene Sanford.

A memorial service will be held at Evergreen-Washelli Funeral Home Chapel, 11111 Aurora Avenue N., Seattle, on Saturday July 22nd at noon.