Richard Boettcher

Richard Donald Dick Boettcher, 82, of Great Falls, a U.S. Navy veteran and a retired painter, died of sepsis on Tuesday, November 27, 2012, at a local hospital.A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, November 30, 2012 at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel.Inurnment will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery.Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements.Dick was born on November 10, 1930 and raised in Clifton, New Jersey, along with his siblings, Ethel and Raymond, by his Italian born mother, Alice Quadrio and his German descendant father, Richard Martin Boettcher.He joined the U.S. Navy and served in the Korean War.It was while he was recovering at a naval hospital that he met Navy nurse, Dorothy Thares.They married on April 16, 1955 in Portsmouth, Virginia and settled in Dots home town of Great Falls, where they raised five children.After working an apprenticeship in New York with his uncle, Dick started Boettcher Painting and Decorating in 1965.Although he retired in 1989, Dick continued to do decorative painting for a never ending list of clients.For Dick, retirement still meant an eight hour work day, which he kept up until only recently.Dicks mastery of his craft earned him recognition and many awards.His excitement over technique and current style kept him constantly seeking new projects.Dick served as the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program coordinator for over ten years.He thoroughly enjoyed the work he did with the Toys for Tots campaign each year.Although Dick has passed, he will never be forgotten by those who love him.Dick is survived by his wife, Dorothy Thares Boettcher of Great Falls; daughter Mary (Bob) Burton of Missoula; sons Rick (Edie) Boettcher of Great Falls, Glen Boettcher of Missoula, Brian (Carol) Boettcher, and Mark Boettcher all of Great Falls; grandchildren Jill (Tim) Boettcher, Rick (Jami) Boettcher, Kellee Lensing all of Great Falls, Stephanie (Jonathan) Elliott of London, England, Eric Pietrykowski, Karie Pietrykowski, Emily Burton all of Missoula; great-grandchildren Katelynn and Brianna Boettcher of Great Falls and Jayda and Kenzie Pietrykowski of Missoula; and numerous nieces and nephews.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Richards name to Toys for Tots, c/o Marv Brewster, 1120 Ave. C NW, Great Falls, MT59404 or toys may also be brought to the donation box at the reception.Condolences for the family may be posted online at www.schniderfuneralhome.com.