Richard G. Elken
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our father, Richard (Dick) G. Elken, on July 29, 2012 in San Diego, CA. He passed away peacefully after a short illness, without much suffering. Dad was born in Mayville, North Dakota to parents Guy and Gladys, where he thrived through his high school graduation in 1940, helping Mayville High School to some basketball championships and other athletic glories. Dad followed the footsteps of his father Guy in attending Harvard University, where he played varsity basketball as a freshman and majored in engineering. Dad joined the Army Air Corps during World War II, graduating second in a meteorology class of 900. The Air Corps sent him to serve as a weather forecaster in San Francisco. After returning from the War, Dad completed his bachelor degree at Harvard and went on to obtain a Bachelor of Architecture degree at the U. of Minnesota.Dad met and fell in love with our beautiful and intelligent mother, Luci Evanson at a roller rink near Portland, ND. They enjoyed their life in the Twin Cities and Moorhead, Minnesota, where their four children, Dana, Tom, Karen and Leslie were raised. A cottage at Pelican Lake, MN was a frequent summer home, both when the kids were home, and later in life. Dad had a career both as an architect, designing many fine university, civic and commercial buildings in Minnesota, such as the Moorhead Public Library, and North Dakota; and a side career as a farmer in both states where he partnered with some young farmers to help them towards successful family farming careers.
Richard G. Elken
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our father, Richard (Dick) G. Elken, on July 29, 2012 in San Diego, CA. He passed away peacefully after a short illness, without much suffering. Dad was born in Mayville, North Dakota to parents Guy and Gladys, where he thrived through his high school graduation in 1940, helping Mayville High School to some basketball championships and other athletic glories. Dad followed the footsteps of his father Guy in attending Harvard University, where he played varsity basketball as a freshman and majored in engineering. Dad joined the Army Air Corps during World War II, graduating second in a meteorology class of 900. The Air Corps sent him to serve as a weather forecaster in San Francisco. After returning from the War, Dad completed his bachelor degree at Harvard and went on to obtain a Bachelor of Architecture degree at the U. of Minnesota.
Dad met and fell in love with our beautiful and intelligent mother, Luci Evanson at a roller rink near Portland, ND. They enjoyed their life in the Twin Cities and Moorhead, Minnesota, where their four children, Dana, Tom, Karen and Leslie were raised. A cottage at Pelican Lake, MN was a frequent summer home, both when the kids were home, and later in life. Dad had a career both as an architect, designing many fine university, civic and commercial buildings in Minnesota, such as the Moorhead Public Library, and North Dakota; and a side career as a farmer in both states where he partnered with some young farmers to help them towards successful family farming careers.
Dad loved the thrill of stalking ducks on ND sloughs, fish on Canadian waters and antelope on Montana hills, with his bosom buddies. He also loved his many trips with Mom to places like Rome, Oslo, Rio, Sydney and Guadalajara.
Later Dad moved with Mom to the warmer climes of Mountain View, CA and then Sun Lakes AZ to get better weather for her arthritis. We children eventually urged Dad and Mom to return to Santa Rosa, CA where Leslie and Tom could help them with health issues, and more recently, Dad moved to San Diego to give Karen and Dana the same opportunity.
Dad was a great ambassador for all things North Dakota. He would strike up a conversation with, and look for a North Dakota connection in nearly everyone he met. If he didn’t find it, then a connection to neighboring states was nearly as good. His father-in-law called him a “Prince among men,” and even in his last months and weeks a new friend in San Diego called him “the nicest man I’ve ever met.”
Dick leaves behind his children and their spouses, Dana and David Terrell, Tom and Laura Elken, Karen Walker, and Leslie and Craig Cozad; grandchildren Jacob Terrell, Evan (and spouse Margie) Elken and Nathan (and spouse Shannon) Elken, and Kyle and Laurel Cozad; and 3 great grandsons: Luke, Tyler and Scott. Dad enjoyed looking at photos of those 3 great-grandsons every day on the refrigerator.
There was a memorial service for Dad on Sept. 1st in San Diego, CA. We plan a memorial service in Mayville, ND, in late Spring or Summer of 2013.
Donations are welcome to Mayville State University in his beloved home town. They can be mailed to: John J. Klocke, Mayville State University, 330 3rd St. NE, Mayville, ND 58257.
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