Richard C. Hoefle, 85

Richard C. Hoefle Dick, Hef, beloved husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and uncle, gave up his race through life on Nov. 10, 2009, surrounded by family. Dick lived each day of his life fully and ran his race hard until the finish line. A veteran of World War II, he was welcomed into the arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, fittingly on Veterans Day. He celebrated his 85th birthday in September, at the family cabin on Whitefish Lake, where he toured the valley in a helicopter, a surprise gift from his sons, which has now become one that everyone cherishes. Dick was born on Sept. 12, 1924, in Seattle, the eldest son of Clarence and Anne Hoefle. He grew up in Highland, Ill., and San Diego. He enrolled in the Navy and served as a naval officer on the ship LST 1129 by the time he was 20. He loved his Navy experience, made lifelong friends and claimed that he d return in a heartbeat if ever given the opportunity. After his Navy years, Dick worked in several different national parks including Glacier, Yosemite and Yellowstone, working as a waiter in hotels, rewiring lookout tours and later as a ranger. He and his brother learned the art of tray spinning and spent many hours entertaining customers, and later friends and family with this talent! Dick graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in chemistry. After graduation, he and lifelong friend, Bob Scott, went to Snider, Texas, to make their fortune in the oil business. They roughnecked for three months, decided they d had enough and settled in Casper, Wyo., working for Shell Oil. There he began his 60-year career in the oil industry and found the love of his life, Jan Osborne. They were married in Billings on Oct. 10, 1953, and made Billings their home for the remainder of their lives. To this union were born four sons, Steven, Stuart, Charlie and Dick. Some of Dick s most favorite memories were the vacations he took with his wife and boys, skiing and staying at the Red Lodge house and fishing on the Baja and in Alaska. Dick loved the adventure of the oil business, putting yellow on the map, drilling wells, waiting on logs and unfortunately, sometimes plugging them. He was proud of the fact that both Stu and Charlie and two grandsons also pursued careers in the oil and gas industry. Hef was a stern father, who believed in discipline, family comes first and you need to work hard to play hard. He was his sons , and later his grandchildren s champion and always encouraged each of them to be whatever they wanted to be, that setbacks are things to adjust to, and quitting is for quitters! Nothing pleased Dick more than time at the cabin and time spent with family. He cherished the summers spent there with Jan and looked forward to visits from the kids and grandkids. For years, spring and fall days found Hef with a fishing pole in hand, floating either the Big Horn or Yellowstone River with one or more of his sons. He loved to hunt elk, deer, ducks, geese and pheasants and taught his sons and grandsons to love the sport as well. With both Stu and Charlie s families in Billings, Dick took an active role in their lives and relished time spent in their homes, especially holidays. In his later years, Hef wintered in Carlsbad Calif., with Jan, to be near son, Dick, where they took a special interest in the kids that Dick coaches. He continued the tradition of summering in Whitefish, leaning more heavily on Steve, with each passing year, for support and companionship. He loved his wife and each of his sons and their families with all his heart. Dick is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jan; and his sons, Steve and Betty, Stu and Cyd, Charlie and Kristi, and Dick and Kim; five grandsons, six granddaughters, and nine great-grandchildren; his sister, Carol Collins; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Stuart; and grandson, Brady. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at Faith Chapel, where Dick worshiped, followed by a luncheon. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Montana Rescue Mission. Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary has charge of arrangements. Remembrances may be shared with the family by visiting www.michelottisawyers.com.