Richard Harlan Sims

Richard was born in the small town of Western, Nebraska, on October 31, 1930 and passed away on March 25, 2012, shortly after losing his wife Phyllis. Richard and Phyllis were high school sweethearts, married for 61 years, and spent the last 15 years residing in Mercer Island, WA.Richard graduated from the University of Nebraska and had a career in the National Park Service. He was a Ranger at Scottsbluff National Monument in Nebraska, the Badlands National Park in South Dakota, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, then Superintendent of Oregon Caves National Monument and Superintendent of Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. After working in the NW Regional office in Seattle, his last assignment was as Superintendent of Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park in Skagway, Alaska where he restored the original gold rush buildings, boardwalks, and the infamous trail to the gold rush. Richard loved nature and being outdoors. He was an avid fisherman, an expert at flora identification, hunting for fairburn agates, and using his hands for carving and woodworking. He had a beautiful voice and loved to sing classic show songs with his wife playing the piano. He was a very good athlete, a three sport letterman and winner of many track and field medals in high school. He loved the Seattle Mariners and rarely missed a game.Richard and Phyllis leave behind three children; Kimberly Sims and (Neil) of Seattle, Valerie Hauter and (John) of Bellingham and Scott Sims and (Anne) of Mercer Island. They have five grandchildren, Matthew and Rachael Sims, Collier and Paige Hauter and Natalie Quek.