Richard 'Dick' Carl Flugel, 75

Dick was born Jan. 24, 1948, to Milton Flugel and Jean Flugel in Colville, Wash. He passed away from a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. On April 11, 2023, he went to be with his Lord and Savior, passing comfortably at home surrounded by his wife, Johanne, sister Donna and brother-in-law Roger.

Dick attended school in the Chewelah School District and graduated from Jenkins Senior High School in Chewelah, Wash., in May of 1966. He attended North Idaho Junior College's (NIC) vo-tech classes and graduated from forestry technology in 1975. In 1967, he enlisted in the Army. Dick was stationed in Kirchgoens, Germany, for three years. In January 1970, he graduated from the 3rd Armored Division (Spearhead) Non-Commissioned Officer Leadership. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal and National Defense Service Medal. His honorable discharge date was Sept. 1, 1973.

Once back in the USA, he worked as a log cutter with his dad. After graduating from NIC, he worked for the U.S Forestry Service for a short time. In 1976, he began working with LP as a log scaler, then logyard foreman, moving up to Divisional Log Quality Control Manager. He was promoted to regional Lumber Quality Control, then to Lumber Sales Manager. His next position was in Lumber Quality Control for the Region. In 2003, he retired from LP as the Business Manager of Corporate Lumber overseeing LP’s 50 sawmills across the USA. He came out of retirement for a brief period and worked for Vaagen Bros Lumber Inc. in their Spokane Office.

Dick has resided in the Pacific Northwest his entire life. His family, being loggers, went where the trees called them, from Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Hobbies in the summer … lets GO! biking, boating, golfing, motorcycles, riding in the mountains in Idaho, Montana and Washington, rollerblading, running (everywhere and lots of Bloomsday finishes), sailing and water skiing, of course. The fall season … IT’S ALL ABOUT HUNTING!! He is a bull elk in his own right. In winter …downhill skiing, snowmobiles and riding in the razor with tracks. After all that fun, it’s BEER 30 folks.

In 1972, Dick met Judith Brawner. They moved to the east side of Hayden Lake, Idaho. He made the commitment with Judie to raise her two children, R. Scott Axlund and Susan Brawner. Dick fulfilled this with the integrity of a young man of character.

In May of 2018, Dick married his friend, H. Johanne Raiche (Haymond). They continued to take on life by the horns, spending countless hours and miles riding ATVs, and their Razor in his favorite backyard. He called it God’s mountains, his church. He enjoyed setting up trail cams, teaching the grandkids the importance of our lands, playing hide and seek in the woods, and throwing rocks across the river. He was a member of the Back Country ATV Assoc. Inc. Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, NRA and the Vine Church.

Dick was preceded in death by his father, Milt, in 1999, his mother, Jean, in 2009, his sister-in-law, Lynn Flugel, in 2004, and Judith Brawner, his faithful companion for 40 years, in 2012. He is survived by his wife, Johanne Flugel of Dalton Gardens, Idaho; and her family in Idaho, Connecticut and Washington; brother Tom of Colville, Wash.; sister Donna and her husband, Roger James of Colville, Wash.; stepson R. Scott Axlund and wife Andrea of Hayden, Idaho; stepdaughter Susan Brawner and partner Laura Mithoug of Prosser, Wash.; step-grandsons Richard and Kenneth Axlund; many wonderful nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, plus one great-grandniece — all of whom he cherished with all his heart.

A memorial service with military honors will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 11, 2023, at the Vine Church, 9140 N. Reed Road, Hayden, ID 83835. In lieu of flowers donations may be sent to www.pancan.org or your favorite organization.

Yates Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements. Please visit Dick’s online memorial and sign his guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.