Richard Belka

To those who knew Richard, I'm writing to let you know Richard passed away last week in Snowflake, Arizona. He was 64. You might have known Richard (Rich) in his youthful years at Lowell Elementary or Fairhaven Junior High. Maybe you can picture him with his Fairhaven Grizzly letter sweater, tapered jeans, and Butch-Waxed flat top so stiff you could set a glass on it. Or maybe sporting his Raider football uniform, spearing an unsuspecting halfback from Seattle Prep, his daunting 145-pound (according to the program, anyway) frame stopping the ball-carrier dead in his tracks. Rich was a competitor through and through, and loved to win. Others may have memories of Rich as their co-worker, teacher, counselor or coach at Whatcom Middle School or Bellingham High. Walking the hallways and the sidelines, he had a knack for communicating with kids, building self-confidence and helping them be their best. He was truly devoted to education and excellence in sports. Richard found a passion in trying to understand the relationship between the things around us and how we learn. He spent many of his mid-life years studying the effects of light and sound on learning, and how they might be used to assist people with learning disabilities. He even designed and built his own sound-light devices to experiment with different combinations of wavelengths and frequencies. He wasn't very scientific, but he was a great student and innovator. In the final miles of his journey, Richard enjoyed the solitude and serenity of the high desert in northern Arizona. The air there is thin, dry, clear and quiet. The tranquility and timelessness of the high desert terrain at sunrise is impossible to put into words. With his trusty mount Thunderbolt and loyal dog Kharma, he said he found a contentment there that left him wanting for little else. It is there he reached the end of his trail, and found his eternal peace. His son Robbie and daughter MacKenzie would like to invite you to join them to share your memories of Richard this Friday, June 26, from 3:00 PM to 6:00PM at the Cordata Community Center at 4848 North Village Lane, Bellingham, WA 98226-8007. Take the Guide Meridian to West Kellogg Road. Follow Kellogg Road west. About a quarter mile past the round-about the road will gradually curve to the right. You should see a US flag flying on the left-hand side of the road. That's the Cordata Community Center. If you can't attend, we hope you can pause for a moment to recall a memory of Richard that brings a warmth to your heart, a smile to your face, or revives your personal will to win. He would have liked that.