Richard William Hewson

Richard William Hewson born August 27, 1936-August 19th, 2025.

Richard "Dick" Hewson passed away peacefully in his home on August 19th, 2025 in Loveland Colorado.

Richard Hewson was born on August 27th, 1936 to Richard Charles Hewson and Alma Evangeline Hewson in Imlay City, Michigan. He is survived by his wife Marion Hewson and his four children and their spouses, Sam and April Hewson of Arizona, Tom and Tracey Hewson of Loveland, CO, Bob and Maureen Hewson of Loveland, CO and Liz and Anson Damosso of Fort Collins, CO, his three sisters, Ann Bray of West Branch, Michigan, Alice Schulz of Fremont, Michigan and Amy Wooley of Indianola, Iowa, his 9 grandchildren, Lauren Hewson, Mackenzie Hewson, Kate McCrimmon, Sara Mickelson, Nate Hewson, Galen Damosso, Tristan Damosso, Ben Hewson and Jacob Hewson, and his 5 great-grandchildren Harvey and Hodge Hewson, Bodhi and Lennie McCrimmon and Covey Hewson.

Richard attended high school in West Branch Michigan at West Branch High School where he ran track and played football and basketball. He went on to attend college at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan where he was a cross-country runner and track athlete. One of his favorite memories in college was when he met Jesse Owens at an athletic banquet and got his autograph. After graduating college with a degree in Physical Education, Richard William Hewson married Marion Elizabeth Peurach, June 14, 1958 in West Branch, Michigan. Richard began his long career of teaching and coaching at the high school level. Throughout his career in Michigan, he taught physical education and coached football and track.

In 1964 Richard and Marion traveled west for a relaxing camping trip without their 3 boys. Neither one had ever been to Colorado let alone Loveland. Richard heard that Thompson School District may be hiring, so he threw his hat in the ring and left an application in the office while on the camping trip. Before heading back to Michigan, he got the call that there was a coaching and teaching position open. The decision as to whether or not to take the job was made easier while sitting at the top of what is now Pine Wood Reservoir overlooking the town of Loveland. It was then they knew they wanted to raise their children here in Loveland. So, they went back to Michigan and packed up their 3 boys and moved to Loveland. Their youngest child, Elizabeth was born in Loveland soon after.

Richard began his Colorado teaching and coaching career in 1965 at Loveland High School in what is now Bill Reed Middle School. He then moved to the newly built Loveland High School the following year. Not ever having been a swimmer let alone coached the sport, it was his Red Cross swimming card that proved he at least knew how to swim and was therefore qualified to manage the LHS pool. He got busy forming the high school swim teams, and this is where his name changed from Richard or Dick to "Coach Hewson". It is a known fact that Coach Hewson never cut anyone from his swim teams. In 1966, Coach Hewson started the Loveland Swim Club, which is still going strong to this day. He put Loveland Colorado on the swimming map. He has been inducted into the Thompson Valley and Loveland High School Hall of Fame. In 1995 he was inducted into the Colorado High School Activities Association Hall of Fame.

In 1976, Thompson Valley High School opened, and Coach Hewson and his oldest son, Sam, made the change from being an Indian at LHS to being an Eagle at TVHS. All four of Richard Hewson's children were graduates of Thompson Valley High School where they swam under the coaching of their dad.

Richard Hewson has had many state swimming championships throughout his career. He helped with the planning of Thompson Valley pool and was a huge help in getting the Loveland High School pool remodeled and the design of the Mountain View High School pool. After he retired, he was a swimming official for many years at the local and state. For a decade he served on the board of directors of NISCA Swimming and Diving Rules and Regulations committee, where they wrote all the rules and regulations for high school swimming and diving. Coach Hewson was a chairman for the American Red Cross Aquatics Division for Larimer County for several years. He worked closely with families after the Big Thompson flood in the summer of 1976. He was also a member of Colorado Youth Outdoors for over 20 years. He took great pride in being part of this group that helped support teen and parent relationships in northern Colorado.

Along with teaching and coaching, Richard's passions were gardening, hunting and fishing, following college and national sports, reading Louis Lamour and CJ Box novels, and enjoying quiet moments with his wife Marion on the patio.

With "Mrs. Coach" by his side, Coach Hewson's accomplishments as an outstanding husband, father, teacher, coach, community leader, grandfather, friend and hunting and fishing buddy will be his legacy.

Services for Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 13th, 2025 at 10:00 A.M at Good Shepherd Church 3429 N. Monroe Avenue Loveland, CO 80538 Dick Hewson was passionate about the following two organizations and contributions can be made in his name to:

Loveland Swim Club

Colorado Youth Outdoors