Richard B Spooner's Obituary
Richard B Spooner, 91, of Lake Oswego, Oregon, passed away on Sunday, March 29th, 2026, at home, surrounded by those he loved most. He lived a life filled with a love for travel, history and languages.
Richard was born on July 14, 1934, in Portland, Oregon to Raymond and Helen (Darling) Spooner. He grew up in Sellwood and delivered newspapers – both the Oregonian and the Oregon Journal – via bicycle throughout Sellwood and the surrounding neighborhoods. Richard attended Cleveland High School, where he ran track and cross country, as well as wrote for the school newspaper. Richard graduated from CHS in 1952.
After high school graduation, Richard studied at Reed College, however left after one year to join the Army National Guard and subsequently enlisted in the Army. After completing basic training and aptitude testing, Richard earned a spot at the Language Institute at Fort Ord in Monterey Bay, California mastering Russian and Arabic before being assigned to Chitose Air Base in Hokkaido, Japan. After returning from his service overseas, Richard completed his college degree at Portland State University, graduating in 1961. Richard initially began his career working for Child Welfare under the Department of Human Services for the State of Oregon, before transferring to the Vocational Rehabilitation Division, where he took great pride in assisting workers in finding their ultimate job placements. Richard won numerous awards and accolades for his successful programs and trainings.
While a student at Portland State University, Richard met Shirley Prater Relyea through mutual friends who introduced the couple at a dinner party. Richard was instantly smitten with Shirley, and the two were married on June 14, 1959. Richard legally adopted Shirley’s two sons – Michael and David – and the family built a life together in Milwaukie, Oregon. After several years, the family grew with the birth of their daughter Kathryn. Richard, Shirley and Kathryn eventually moved to Lake Oswego, Oregon. Richard and Shirely’s marriage of 66 years was marked by travel and adventure, ultimately visiting all seven continents together.
While Richard found his greatest joy in reading, he also loved the study of genealogy, working outdoors in the garden, puttering around the garage and his workbench, always willing to give home projects a go – even if that meant a professional might have to be called in to tidy up what he started. Richard was always willing to lend a hand in his community – be it helping with a maintenance project, helping with the community garden, volunteering to eradicate moles in the neighborhood, or just ensuring the streetlamps were free of any burnt-out lightbulbs. Richard never met a dog he didn’t love, especially if it was a basset hound.
Upon moving to Lake Oswego in 1975, Richard and Shirley joined Lake Grove Presbyterian Church. Richard held his faith dear and loved sharing the word of God with fellow believers.
Richard will be remembered for his love of travel, history, dogs and the written word. Always ready to share a story with whomever was willing to listen, Richard was eager to tell those around him the highlights from whatever book (or… sometimes multiple books) he was current reading. Richard could literally strike up a conversation with anyone and easily remembered the details of any meeting or encounter for years to come.
Richard is survived by his loving wife Shirley, son Michael (Ann), daughter-in-law Nyla, daughter Kathryn (Marc); grandchildren, Brandon (Jen), Summer (Grant), Bryent (Jason), Samantha (Shawn), Russell, Curtis, Ben and Caroline; great-grandchildren, Abby, Kamryn, Olivia, Kelsey, Bella and Kora; as well as many beloved nieces, nephews, and friends.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents, and his son, David.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 30th, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Lake Grove Presbyterian Church in Lake Oswego, Oregon, with Pastor Susan Graham officiating.
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