Richard "Dick" Cote

In Loving Memory of Richard "Dick" C. Cote

February 1937 - July 2024

Richard C. Cote, affectionately known as Dick, passed away peacefully on July 30, 2024, in Green Valley, Arizona after facing cancer with a quiet strength. Born in 1937 in Rawlins, Wyoming, Dick lived a full and vibrant life.

Dick grew up in Bairoil, one Wyoming's tiniest towns, before moving to Worland for high school, where he played every sport available. A natural athlete and a crack shot, he was an avid hunter whose skills made his father beam with pride.

While studying engineering in Powell, Wyoming, Dick met the love of his life, Nancy Burke. They married and shared 65 wonderful years together. They moved to Washington and settled in Tumwater where they raised three children. Dick was a constant presence at local ballfields and gyms, watching two of his children excel in sports and watching the other one, as he would grin and say, "give it a good go." They began spending winters in Green Valley, Arizona in 2005, and finally made it their full-time home in 2014. Madeira Canyon was one of his favorite places to spend his time.

Dick proudly served his country in the US Army at Fort Lewis Army Base and later dedicated 35 years of his career to the Olympia Brewing Company. He loved the outdoors and valued the time spent camping with his family. He was a type of renaissance man, with wide-ranging interests including hunting, gardening, fishing, poker, dirt bike riding, skeet shooting, bird watching, bowling, golfing, Parks and Rec basketball. Dick was an avid reader, loved a good western novel, and watched every John Wayne movie that was ever made.

He loved telling a story, often holding court with a vodka martini in hand-garnished, of course, with a cube of cheddar cheese. He was known for his sharp wit and memorable one-liners, like: "You got your looks from your mother; I've still got mine," and "Do you know why you should hold up a 2-iron if you're in a lightning storm on a golf course? Because even god can't hit a 2-iron"

His signature buzz-cut never wavered, except for a brief flirtation in the '70s and early '80s when he went through his Jimmy Johnson hair style phase. He mistakenly thought he could rock a trucker-style hat, and his collection was noteworthy.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy, and their children Diana, Dale and Donna; grandchildren Ciela, Tessina, Braden and Hannah; and great grandchildren Juniper and Lupine. His extended family includes his sister Marilyn (having said goodbye to sister MaryLea in 2023), nephew Dean and many dear members in the Burke family.

Dick rarely met a stranger. His warmth, humor, and uncanny ability to retell the same stories with fresh enthusiasm will be deeply missed by all who knew him.