Richard "Dick" E. Swartling

A memorial service for Richard “Dick” Swartling, 85, of Coos Bay, will be held from 2:00pm-5:00pm, Saturday, August 31 at Riley’s Ranch, 69520 Wildwood Drive, North Bend with Norm Russell, officiating.

Dick was born July 16, 1938 in Pittsburgh, PA to Raymond Adolph Swartling and Helen Jane “HJ” Peelor. He passed away July 9, 2024 with his loving family by his side.

Dick loved spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His family was his entire world. Family meals surrounded by all of his grandchildren were always his greatest joy. He loved cooking and eating with his loved ones.

Dick proudly served our country as a United States Marine for twenty years, retiring as a Master Sergeant. After retiring from military life, he moved his family from southern California to a thirty acre farm in Coos County Oregon. Dick finished his second twenty-year career working as a grocer at Fred Meyer in Coos Bay where he truly loved meeting everyone who walked in the door.

The stress of military life led him to find his peace on the family farm, where working with horses became his therapy, always followed by a pack of dogs everywhere he went. It was his love of horses that led him to join the Coos County Mounted Sheriff’s Posse and devote countless hours to the Oregon Outlaws 4-H Club with his granddaughters.

Dick joined Coos County Mounted Sheriff’s Posse in 1992 and soon started making his mark on the posse. He was the New Posse person of the year in 1992, an award given by the Posse Captain. In the years that followed, he held every office in the Posse from Treasurer to Second Lieutenant. Trails, Second Lieutenant. Parades, First Lieutenant of the posse, and Captain in 2002. He was voted on by the membership as Posse person of the year in 1997, 2000, 2015 and was runner up in 1996. In subsequent years, he continued to serve the posse, running the kitchen for many years, riding in parades, cooking for the awards banquet, fixing fence, whatever needed done. He also participated in many events at the state level, Oregon Association of Mounted Posses (OAMP), in pistol competition, state trail rides, OAMP state horse show known as Shodeo, and the annual OAMP convention. He became a life member in 2012. He sponsored awards for our local posse horse show for many years, many people have posse belt buckles he donated over the years. He will be greatly missed in the CCMSP.

Dick remarried in 2017. He and his beautiful bride Sharon enjoyed an amazing two-year honeymoon travelling the country in their RV visiting friends and family coast to coast. They happily settled in Coos Bay in their lovely home overlooking the ocean to enjoy family, friends, fellowship and local culture.

Dick is survived by his brother, Raymond (Ronnie) of Caroline Shores, NC; loving wife, Sharon; son, Todd (Debbie) of Coquille; grandchildren, Lesley (Eli) Gonzalez of Coos Bay, Lisa Nelson of Coos Bay, Lori (Thomas) Dehner of Coos Bay, Trayci (Jose) Alfaro of Eugene, Dorothee Swartling of Eugene, Devin (Persia) Athorne of Coos Bay, Amanda (Sean) Athorne of Coquille, China (Ross) McWilliam of Myrtle Point, and Cassidy Gibson of Coquille; greatgrandchildren, Gabe Gonzalez, Alexis Gonzalez, Alliah Gonzalez, Madyson Stern, Bridget Stern, Samantha Stern, Aidan Nelson, AJ Alfaro, Aeris Alfaro, Natalie Murray, Reed Murray, Brayden Johnson, Oliver Ostrander and Finley Ostrander.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and HJ; daughters, Rayleen Swartling and Leeann Keeler, and the love of his life, Phyllis Swartling.

In lieu of flowers the family respectfully requests that donations be made to the Coos County Sheriff’s Posse to support the Dick Swartling Memorial Trail Course that is being built in his honor. This trail course will be built for all Coos County riders young and old to practice and ride on far into the future. CCMSP Attn: Dick Swartling Memorial Trail, PO Box 1033 Coos Bay OR, 97420.

Arrangements are under the care of Coos Bay Chapel, 541-267-3131. Family and friends are encouraged to sign the online guestbook at www.coosbayareafunerals.com

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