RICHARD OLAND HOKANSON

Feb. 22, 1945 to April 13, 2011


Purdy & Walters at Floral Hills
Richard Oland Hokanson passed away April 13, 2011, from natural causes due to a traumatic brain injury that occurred almost 38 years ago. He was 66. A memorial service in his honor will be held at 2 p.m. June 5 at the Advent Lutheran Church in Mill Creek, WA.


Born February 22, 1945, in Port Orchard, WA, Dick and his parents, Gus and Shirley, lived in the Seattle area before moving to the Columbia Basin. In 1957, Dick was a member of the Ephrata Little League team, which made it to the Regional Final in San Francisco, CA, one game away from reaching the L.L. World Series in Pennsylvania. The Hokanson family moved to Pasco in junior high and Dick became a three year letterman in baseball and football while earning two letters in basketball. After PHS, he went to WSU for his freshman year to play baseball for Chuck Bobo Brayton but came back to Pasco to play at CBC for his sophomore year. He then transferred to Eastern Washington State College to finish his education and collegiate baseball career. In December of that final year, he married Carolyn Roe.


In the summer of 1968 the newlyweds moved to Palmdale, CA, where Dick taught P.E. and coached at Sage Junior High School. They moved back to Kennewick in the summer of 1970 and found out they were pregnant with a son. Dick taught and coached P.E. at Park Middle School when his son Mickey, named after his idol Mickey Mantle, was born. In July of 1973, Dick was playing slowpitch softball in the Sun Country Softball Tournament at Roy Johnson Park in Kennewick when his life changed. He collided with the catcher at home plate and was knocked unconscious. He was in and out of a coma for about 4 months until Thanksgiving morning when he woke and from then, began the difficult road to recovery. The injury, however, left him paralyzed from the waist down and on the right side of his body, and in a wheelchair. He moved in with his parents as he needed full-time care but, being the athlete that he was, continued his sit-ups and exercises.


For a number of years, Dick worked at Columbia Industries in Kennewick. In 1997, Dick and his parents moved to the Mill Creek/ Everett, WA, area. Between the years his parents eventually passed on, Dick began his stay in the Delta Rehabilitation Center, a well known center for traumatic brain injuries in Snohomish, where the staff really cared for Dick and were a blessing to him in his final days.


Dick saw his son Mickey graduate high school and college. He also attended his son's wedding in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2004 and was able to hold his newborn grandson A.J. in 2008. Family and faith were always important to Dick, and his friends and relatives who lived near him visited him and made sure to include him for family gatherings, holidays, and trips to church, or just take him out to spend time with him. He was a devout member of the Lutheran church and attended the First Lutheran Church in Pasco.


Dick is survived by his son Mick, daughter-in-law Emily, and grandson A.J. Hokanson of Troy, AL; and step-brother Bill and his wife Jolene Hokanson and their daughter's families in Nebraska. He is also survived by special family members, uncle Alan Hokanson; cousins Gary and Eileen Hokanson, Leona Hokanson & Ron Campbell, Marty and Cindy Hokanson and their children from the Seattle area; cousin Alan and Ae-Ryeon Hokanson and their children in Seoul, Korea; aunt Helyn and uncle Frank Leathley; cousins Brad and Cindy Leathley; Scott and Bonnie Leathley; and Allison Leathley all from the Seattle area.


In lieu of flowers, please donate to the "Delta Foundation" at the Delta Rehabilitation Center Snohomish Chalet located at 1705 Terrace Ave., Snohomish, WA 98290 in the name of Dick Hokanson.