Obituary: Dukart, Richard James “Dick”
Age 89
He was born June 12, 1925 to Frank and Christine Dukart in Dickenson, North Dakota.
Around 1935 the family moved to Yakima, WA.
While in high school he started working for Snyder-Mailing Canning Co. building fruit boxes in the box yard after school.
He joined the Navy on June 9, 1943 and served in the South Pacific aboard the USS Sullivans as a GM2c.
He received an Honorable Discharge on March 13, 1946 and returned to Yakima and resumed work in the canning industry.
He met Alice Baker-Swofford, a WWII widow.
They were married in 1947 and he adopted her young son, Michael.
They had three more children, Christine, Becky, and Debbie.
The cannery he worked at had entered into the freezing business and was known as Birdseye-Snyder, later to become Birdseye Frozen Foods.
In 1953 he was promoted to Foreman and transferred to Hillsboro, OR.
In 1960 he was transferred to Walla Walla, WA.
In 1976 he was promoted again and became Plant Manager of a new Plant in Bettendorf, Iowa.
He and his wife moved to Davenport, Iowa until 1981, at which time he retired from General Foods after 42 years of service.
He and his wife then moved back to Spokane, WA to be closer to their children.
They built a house at Priest Lake and lived there until 1999 when they built a house in Post Falls, ID in order the be closer to Medical Facilities.
Richard enjoyed hunting, fishing and was an avid golfer.
He was a very good wood worker and enjoyed wood carving.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Florence, wife Alice, and daughter Becky.
He is survived by his son Michael (Sharon) Dukart of Post Falls, ID; daughters Christine Dukart of Priest Lake, ID and Debbie (Rob) Hackworthy of Sagle, ID; brother Raymond Dukart, several nieces and nephews, six grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.
A Rosary will be held Thursday, July 17 7:00 PM at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 601 S. Lincoln, Sandpoint, ID.
A Funeral Mass will be at 11:00 AM Friday, July 18 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.
Mr. Dukart will then be laid to rest next to his wife Alice at Holy Cross Cemetery in Spokane.
LAKEVIEW FUNERAL HOME in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements.
Please visit Dick’s online memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his guest book.