Richard (Dick) Hanks, age 88, died Thursday, Nov. 9, at his home, with his family at his side. Dick was born Nov. 25, 1934, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Howard Harvey Hanks and Olive Avalon Houghton Hanks.
He was the fourth of six children. Following his graduation from Danial Webster High School in 1953, Dick joined the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict.
After his service discharge, Dick attended the University of Wyoming on a wrestling scholarship with an education major. During his summer breaks, Dick was accepted as a smoke jumper and began his training in McCall, Idaho.
He loved parachuting so much that he joined a skydiving club during the school year and did several free-fall parachute jumps for local air shows. It was during one of these air shows that Dick severely injured his leg, and his parachuting days were over.
In January of 1960, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education. During his recovery from his leg injury, he began thinking of a career in physical therapy. Dick graduated from the Mayo Clinic School of Physical Therapy in August of 1962 and began his career in physical therapy.
When Dick first came to Evanston in 1965, he was the only physical therapist in Uinta County and started the first physical therapy department in the county. Dick served on the Uinta County Ambulance as an EMT, assisted teaching mobility in the CNA class, worked in home health and hospice, worked full time at the Wyoming State Hospital, and also did EEGs when his job first began.
In 1966, Dick married Kathleen (Kay) Vlack Hanks in North Chicago, Illinois. Together they had two wonderful children, Penny Lynne and Michael Scott.
Dick loved the outdoors and was very adventurous. Dick shared many exciting trips with his family and he and his wife continued adventures following the empty nest.
Dick and Kay enjoyed many great times traveling, canoeing and even hiked the Grand Canyon five times. Dick was a loving husband, a loving father, and a loving grandfather.
Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Olive and Howard Hanks; siblings, Howard Jr., Nancy Stogsdill, John and Jim Hanks. He also lost his most beautiful and precious daughter, Penny Lynne Fletcher.
Dick is survived by his wife, Kay, whom he married 57 years ago; his son, Michael, and his wife, Mandie, and grandchildren, Braxton and Brinley; additionally, his brother, Paul, and wife, Sonya; and his son-in-law, Jody Fletcher.
Dick will forever be sadly missed by his family and many friends. Dick’s family is grateful for all the gifts of love and laughter he shared with them. Dick loved to tell a joke and usually laughed the hardest. Dick was really the best of the best. Dick always said he didn’t know what to put on his tombstone — either “It has been a great ride” or “I’m out of here.” His loss leaves a big hole in our hearts.
A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.
