03/12/ 2021
Richard “Dick” Lee Mavin, born February 16, 1948, in Knoxville, IA, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on March 12, 2021, after battling cancer.
Dick was a diver and pole vaulter at Knoxville High School. In 1966, at the age of 17 and prior to graduating from High School, he volunteered and joined the US Marine Corps to fight in Vietnam.
He attended boot camp in San Diego, CA, and was sent to Vietnam. In his first tour, Dick was involved in a violent truck explosion; he lost friends and was awarded a Purple Heart for his injuries. He healed and volunteered to return to Vietnam again in 1967.
His second tour ended in 1968 when he was significantly injured again when a bunker collapsed on top of him. He was sent to Seattle, WA where he met the love of his life, Ms. Donna Mae Schaak (Billings, MT) and he retired honorably with the rank E-5, Sergeant.
Dick completed his High School Diploma in 1971 and they moved from Seattle to Edgewood in 1978 to raise their three children.
Dick enjoyed time with family and friends at his cabin in Greenwater, WA where he claimed to have seen the elusive “Wampus Cat”.
He loved to work in his yard and to woodwork in his garage where he designed beautiful Adirondack furniture. He enjoyed traveling the globe, coaching Edgewood youth sports, riding motorcycles, cooking, listening to country music, playing cards, skiing, fishing/boating, scuba diving, and teasing his family and friends every chance he could.
He was kind, giving, loving, never with judgment, and always willing to help ANYONE. He will be greatly missed by all that knew him.
Dick is preceded in death by his mother and father (Robert H. and Ethyle C. Mavin), grandson (Robert Felix Clemenson Jr.), and numerous Aunts and Uncles.
Dick is survived by his loving wife of 52 years (Donna Mae), daughter Heather (Dan), son Ryan (Jennifer), and son Mark (Stephanie); 6 grandchildren, Reanna, Haden, Jake, Molly, Tyce, and Abbey; 3 brothers, Robert, John, and Tom; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider making a donation to Veterans of Foreign Wars https://heroes.vfw.org/ or American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org
Community service is planned for March 23, 2021, at 10:00 AM, at Powers Funeral Home in Puyallup, WA.
A military burial service is planned for March 23, 2021, at 2:00 PM, at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, WA.
Please leave online condolences at www.powersfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Powers Funeral Home 253-845-0536.