David Walter Rich, known to his family and friends as Walt departed this life at 97 in Wheat Ridge, Colorado on December 7, 2021.
He was born on August 12, 1924 in a small doctors office in Vona, Colorado. At this time he and his family lived southeast of Seibert, Colorado. He spent most of his early life living southeast of Stratton, Colorado. He spent much of his time on his grandparents homestead south of Stratton. At the age of 14, he enlisted in the Colorado National Guard, Burlington Armory. This was not uncommon in this time. He remained in the Guard until the age of16 when his commander asked his mother if he could join full time and his mother said no.
His early schooling started at the First Central School. He moved with his mother and family to Stratton to attend High School. He graduated high school in 1942 with his sister Lucille. He was behind a year because when he was in the 7th grade he took a job for Kenny Sharman milking 42 cows morning and evening to support his family. After he moved to Stratton, his junior year he meet a young lady, Leona Meade and fell in love with her.
After graduation, he was drafted and took a Army physical and was rejected due to a heart problem. This did not stop him, along with friends and family he tried several time to join the Army without any luck. He went went to Portland, or and was hired by Kaiser to work on Liberty ships as a welder. A skill that stayed with him for his lifetime.
With a little trickery with his brother Homer, he was able to join the Merchant Marines. At that time of war, Merchant Marines were part of the United States Coast. Also joining with him was his best friend, Vern Thompson. After basic training at Catalina Island. They ventured on 2 ocean voyages. The first one was to the Philippines Islands delivering cargo a week after the USA took back the islands. The second voyage was to Japan delivering troops for the occupation. He returned to Stratton, Colorado after an honorable discharge and married the love of his life, Leona, January 12, 1945.
He went to Oregon for work and spent sometime working in the timber industry for a short time. He returned to Stratton and worked at the Rock Island Railroad and the at the Stratton Power Plant. In 1951, he was hired by the KC Electric Association working in Hugo and then Flagler. He started as a lineman and retired as a foreman. He also would work seconds jobs as an electrician, tree trimmer, helping Lyle Stone work on radios, televisions, and tall towers and with Ted Relhand with the Flagler water system to name a few.
He was born on August 12, 1924 in a small doctors office in Vona, Colorado. At this time he and his family lived southeast of Seibert, Colorado. He spent most of his early life living southeast of Stratton, Colorado. He spent much of his time on his grandparents homestead south of Stratton. At the age of 14, he enlisted in the Colorado National Guard, Burlington Armory. This was not uncommon in this time. He remained in the Guard until the age of16 when his commander asked his mother if he could join full time and his mother said no.
His early schooling started at the First Central School. He moved with his mother and family to Stratton to attend High School. He graduated high school in 1942 with his sister Lucille. He was behind a year because when he was in the 7th grade he took a job for Kenny Sharman milking 42 cows morning and evening to support his family. After he moved to Stratton, his junior year he meet a young lady, Leona Meade and fell in love with her.
After graduation, he was drafted and took a Army physical and was rejected due to a heart problem. This did not stop him, along with friends and family he tried several time to join the Army without any luck. He went went to Portland, or and was hired by Kaiser to work on Liberty ships as a welder. A skill that stayed with him for his lifetime.
With a little trickery with his brother Homer, he was able to join the Merchant Marines. At that time of war, Merchant Marines were part of the United States Coast. Also joining with him was his best friend, Vern Thompson. After basic training at Catalina Island. They ventured on 2 ocean voyages. The first one was to the Philippines Islands delivering cargo a week after the USA took back the islands. The second voyage was to Japan delivering troops for the occupation. He returned to Stratton, Colorado after an honorable discharge and married the love of his life, Leona, January 12, 1945.
He went to Oregon for work and spent sometime working in the timber industry for a short time. He returned to Stratton and worked at the Rock Island Railroad and the at the Stratton Power Plant. In 1951, he was hired by the KC Electric Association working in Hugo and then Flagler. He started as a lineman and retired as a foreman. He also would work seconds jobs as an electrician, tree trimmer, helping Lyle Stone work on radios, televisions, and tall towers and with Ted Relhand with the Flagler water system to name a few.
David Walter Rich, known to his family and friends as Walt departed this life at 97 in Wheat Ridge, Colorado on December 7, 2021.
He was born on August 12, 1924 in a small doctors office in Vona, Colorado. At this time he and his family lived southeast of Seibert, Colorado. He spent most of his early life living southeast of Stratton, Colorado. He spent much of his time on his grandparents homestead south of Stratton. At the age of 14, he enlisted in the Colorado National Guard, Burlington Armory. This was not uncommon in this time. He remained in the Guard until the age of16 when his commander asked his mother if he could join full time and his mother said no.
His early schooling started at the First Central School. He moved with his mother and family to Stratton to attend High School. He graduated high school in 1942 with his sister Lucille. He was behind a year because when he was in the 7th grade he took a job for Kenny Sharman milking 42 cows morning and evening to support his family. After he moved to Stratton, his junior year he meet a young lady, Leona Meade and fell in love with her.
After graduation, he was drafted and took a Army physical and was rejected due to a heart problem. This did not stop him, along with friends and family he tried several time to join the Army without any luck. He went went to Portland, or and was hired by Kaiser to work on Liberty ships as a welder. A skill that stayed with him for his lifetime.
With a little trickery with his brother Homer, he was able to join the Merchant Marines. At that time of war, Merchant Marines were part of the United States Coast. Also joining with him was his best friend, Vern Thompson. After basic training at Catalina Island. They ventured on 2 ocean voyages. The first one was to the Philippines Islands delivering cargo a week after the USA took back the islands. The second voyage was to Japan delivering troops for the occupation. He returned to Stratton, Colorado after an honorable discharge and married the love of his life, Leona, January 12, 1945.
He went to Oregon for work and spent sometime working in the timber industry for a short time. He returned to Stratton and worked at the Rock Island Railroad and the at the Stratton Power Plant. In 1951, he was hired by the KC Electric Association working in Hugo and then Flagler. He started as a lineman and retired as a foreman. He also would work seconds jobs as an electrician, tree trimmer, helping Lyle Stone work on radios, televisions, and tall towers and with Ted Relhand with the Flagler water system to name a few.
He was born on August 12, 1924 in a small doctors office in Vona, Colorado. At this time he and his family lived southeast of Seibert, Colorado. He spent most of his early life living southeast of Stratton, Colorado. He spent much of his time on his grandparents homestead south of Stratton. At the age of 14, he enlisted in the Colorado National Guard, Burlington Armory. This was not uncommon in this time. He remained in the Guard until the age of16 when his commander asked his mother if he could join full time and his mother said no.
His early schooling started at the First Central School. He moved with his mother and family to Stratton to attend High School. He graduated high school in 1942 with his sister Lucille. He was behind a year because when he was in the 7th grade he took a job for Kenny Sharman milking 42 cows morning and evening to support his family. After he moved to Stratton, his junior year he meet a young lady, Leona Meade and fell in love with her.
After graduation, he was drafted and took a Army physical and was rejected due to a heart problem. This did not stop him, along with friends and family he tried several time to join the Army without any luck. He went went to Portland, or and was hired by Kaiser to work on Liberty ships as a welder. A skill that stayed with him for his lifetime.
With a little trickery with his brother Homer, he was able to join the Merchant Marines. At that time of war, Merchant Marines were part of the United States Coast. Also joining with him was his best friend, Vern Thompson. After basic training at Catalina Island. They ventured on 2 ocean voyages. The first one was to the Philippines Islands delivering cargo a week after the USA took back the islands. The second voyage was to Japan delivering troops for the occupation. He returned to Stratton, Colorado after an honorable discharge and married the love of his life, Leona, January 12, 1945.
He went to Oregon for work and spent sometime working in the timber industry for a short time. He returned to Stratton and worked at the Rock Island Railroad and the at the Stratton Power Plant. In 1951, he was hired by the KC Electric Association working in Hugo and then Flagler. He started as a lineman and retired as a foreman. He also would work seconds jobs as an electrician, tree trimmer, helping Lyle Stone work on radios, televisions, and tall towers and with Ted Relhand with the Flagler water system to name a few.
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