Richard Gordon Camp

Richard (Dick) Gordon Camp, age 95, passed away in Cheney, Wash. on Jan. 8, 2024. Richard was born to A. Clifford and Bessie B (Latimer) Camp on Aug. 23, 1928, at home on the family farm where he lived for the next 95 years. Richard began school at Cheney Training School (Cheney State Normal School) and graduated from Cheney High School in 1947.

Richard bought his first heifer when he was in FFA and started building a dairy barn in 1947, finishing in 1949. In 1948, he married Mary Ellen Wendlandt from Reardan, Wash.

As Marydick Guernsey Dairy they began to ship Grade A milk in Dec. of '49 and expanded the herd to 40 registered cows. The milk was first shipped to Benewah Creamery, then Carnation, Early Dawn Dairy, and finally to Darigold. The Camps won the Dairy of Merit award from the Dairy Commission. Richard was the president of the state Guernsey Club and the Inland Empire Cattle Club. He also showed cows at the Interstate Fair for many years. Before selling the cows in 1989, Richard also worked for the Cheney School District as a school custodian and bus driver for 26.5 years. He was awarded classified Employee of the Year in '91 and placed 2nd in the 1984 WA Assoc. for Pupil Transportation East Side Association School Bus Road-e-o.

Richard had a talent for woodworking and photography and later enjoyed traveling around the U.S. and Canada with Mary Ellen. He is survived by his children Carolyn Dyer and Janet Satchwell; grandchildren Carlin Dyer (Miranda McPherson) and Andrea Dyer Vernon (Joseph); great-grandchildren; Mackenzie and Hailey Somogyi, Kyleigh and Kale Dyer, Destiny Teakell, Colin Martinz and Jaydan Glanzer; sister-in-law Marian Dole, brother-in-law Jim Ryan, and he leaves behind many friends, cousins, nieces, and nephews. Richard was preceded in death by two baby boy Camps, his parents, Mary Ellen's parents, a brother, and two sons-in-law.

A Visitation will be held Wednesday, Jan. 24th from 4-6 p.m. at Cheney Funeral Chapel, 1632 W. 1st St. Cheney, WA. A Celebration of Life will be held on March 8th, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at the Cheney United Methodist Church, 204 4th St., Cheney, WA. A private burial will be held at the Spangle Cemetery. To receive a link to the private live stream of the service please email [email protected]. Sharing Gifts of Remembrance can be made in Richard's honor to the Cheney Care Center, 2219 N. 6th St., Cheney, WA 99004; Horizon Hospice and Palliative Care, 608 East Holland Ave, Spokane, WA 99218; or an organization of your choice. Online guestbook at cheneyfuneral.com