Richard Aspinwall

Richard Aspinwall

GREAT FALLS —Richard Aspinwall, 86, of Great Falls, Montana passed away of natural causes while visiting family in Seattle, Washington on Sunday, May 14, 2017.

A memorial service will be Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

He was born in Marlborough, Massachusetts on August 21, 1930 to William G. and Evelyn (Chandler) Aspinwall and lived with his parents at #1 Chandler Street through high school. After high school, he played semi-professional baseball in the Industrial Leagues for a time and married his high school sweetheart Sally VanDresser. He enlisted in the United States Air Force and served for 28 years.

As a helicopter mechanic and crew chief, he served in the Korean conflict when the helicopter air rescue and recovery was in its infancy and again in Vietnam in the late 1960's. He retired from active duty as a manpower and management engineer. He returned to government service as a civil service employee at Malmstrom AFB as a budget analyst retiring again at age 72.

Throughout his life he continued his commitment to the Masonic Lodge and in October of 2013 was honored with the Masonic 33rd degree. This honor truly personified Dick Aspinwall.

In addition to his work with the Masons, Aspinwall devoted his efforts through the Shriners Club of Great Falls by organizing transportation for children and their families to the Children's Hospital in Spokane, Washington. He mostly enjoyed his time with his fellow Shriners orchestrating the East/West Shrine Football Game, the annual Shrine Circus and their collective efforts to the Shriners Children Hospital.

Richard was preceded in death by his wife, Sally.

He is survived by his son, Richard (Mary) Aspinwall of Great Falls; daughter Jill (Vern) Waldenberg of Sammamish WA; sister-in-law Dorothy (Shaun) O'Connell of Marlborough, MA; six grandchildren, Michael Aspinwall of Long Beach, CA, Derek (Lucy) Aspinwall and children Adison, Reagan, Cayla and new arrival this summer, Georgia of Billings, Sara (Clay) McGillivray and children Mitchell and Garrett of Colorado Springs, CO, Amanda (Nick) Lascheck and children Ascher, Waylond, and Daphne of Gig Harbor, WA, Philip Waldenberg of Issaquah, WA, and Hana (Vasiliy) Shishkarev of Bellingham, WA.

Memorials in Richard's name are suggested to the Shriners Travel Fund Great Falls supporting the families at the Shriners Children Hospital.

God love ya, pal. You know we always will.

Condolences for the family may be posted online at www.SchniderFuneralHome.com.