In Loving Memory of Richard (Dick) Ortiz

Richard (Dick) Ortiz passed peacefully in Des Moines, Washington on December 26, 2017. Dick's wife, Margaret, as well as his children Charlene, Steve, Dan, and Sue were at his side during final days. He is survived by his wife, Margaret, children Charlene (Garnet) Dima, Steve (Konni) Ortiz, Dan (Lori) Ortiz, Sue (Scott) Elwin, as well as brothers Phil, Tony, Dan (Judy), David and self-adopted brother, Tom Bernardini. Dick's sister, Mary Ortiz Perez, passed in 2013. Dick is also survived by his grandchildren, Cory, Brett, Amanda (Lucas), Carli, Molly, Lucy, Sam and great-grandchildren, Christian and Ryker. Celebration of Dick's life will be held this summer in Ketchikan, Alaska.

Dick, 86, enjoyed a very full, vibrant, adventurous life. Born on April 7, 1931, in Ottawa, Illinois, to Benito and Juana Ortiz, Dick spent his early years attending grade school and high school in Illinois where he enjoyed his love for sports, particularly basketball and football. As captain of the Ottawa High School basketball team, Dick helped lead the OHS Pirates to its first ever Illinois state basketball tournament in 1949.

Dick was a sophomore in high school when he asked his future bride, Margaret Day, for their first dance which was followed by thousands more throughout their life together. Dick and Margaret were married in 1952 after which he entered the Army and served for two years as a crewman on the atomic cannon in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The couple then moved to Macomb, Illinois where Dick earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Western Illinois University and began his teaching/coaching career.

Dick loved meeting new people and the outdoors, and these interests were shared by his wife, Margaret. In 1959, the couple embarked on a new adventure which took them to Hydaburg, Alaska. They both taught school in Hydaburg and completely embraced their life in Alaska. The people of Hydaburg were kind to this young family, and taught them how to fish and hunt and cook in the ways of SE Alaska. Some of Dick's favorite stories were recollections of these years. In 1960, the Ortiz family moved to Wasilla, Alaska where Dick taught school for one year at a school for troubled teenage boys. The family then returned to Illinois in 1961 where Dick continued with his passion for basketball by coaching high school boys basketball for seven years at Paw Paw High School. During these years, the family became completely immersed in good old-fashioned midwest "Hoosier" type of basketball as it was their entire community's favorite form of entertainment.

In 1969, the call of SE Alaska became so strong that the family simply packed up and moved caravan style to Ketchikan, Alaska where they remained throughout their remaining active years. Dick and Margaret loved Ketchikan, its people, and the outdoor life which enabled him to fish (MV Mijada and MV Anne Marie) in the summers. During the next 45 years, Dick coached both boys and girls basketball, retired from teaching, traveled the world with Margaret, and thoroughly cherished his life in SE Alaska.

Some of the things Dick will be remembered for are: 1) He was one of the first coaches of the Kayhi Kings women's basketball program and worked hard for equality, especially for inclusion of the girls' teams in the SE Alaska's tournaments. 2) He helped design the first magically growing Christmas tree on stage for the Ketchikan Theatre Ballet's performance of Nutcracker. 3) He loved entertaining his friends, particularly at Christmas and is well-known for his outdoor Christmas decorations (primarily in RED!). 4.) He could often be seen harvesting fire wood with his chain saw on the beaches of South Tongass. 5.) He modeled an ethic of hard work and expected people to step up and pull their own weight. He made his sons pull nails from scrap wood which he said " would only take five minutes"....however they'd still be at it five hours later! 6.) Many will remember his presence in the balcony of the Kayhi gym during the last three decades after his retirement from coaching. 7.) He was a friend to nearly everyone he met and loved to tell stories of his adventures. 8.) He is well-known in his family for telling anyone with a cut, bruise, or scrape, "Don't worry, it's a long ways from your heart!" Well dear husband, dad, father-in-law, grandpa, brother, uncle, teacher, coach, friend -- you will always be close to our hearts.