Richard Davidson

Davidson

Richard Merle Davidson

Oct. 11, 1938 – Jun. 15, 2019

Richard Merle Davidson, 80, Rugby, died on June 15, 2019 at the Heart of America Medical Center in Rugby. He was born the son of Wesley and Loretta Hengel Davidson in Bartlett, North Dakota on October 11, 1938. Richard grew up in Lakota and graduated from Lakota High School in 1956. He attended Jamestown College and graduated from Mayville State Teachers College in 1960 with majors in mathematics and chemistry. He then began his teaching career. Richard educated students in New Salem, Mandan, Fessenden, Anamoose, McClusky, Harvey, Deering, Fort Totten, Willow City, Belcourt, Inkster, Rugby,

Aneta, Page, Pillsbury, and Oberon.

Richard and Elsie Sandeen married in Aneta, North Dakota on June 22, 1974. They made their home in Rugby in 1976.

He worked for IBM for several years in the early 1970’s and as a agronomist at Cenex in Rugby later in the decade. Following that he was elected Pierce County Superintendent of Schools in the mid 1980’s.

In his retirement he enjoyed several digs as an amateur paleontologist with Dr. Ron Nellermoe’s team from Concordia College at the Hell Creek formation in South Dakota. He was always happy to share his experiences with groups in the area. Richard also enjoyed tending his garden and sharing the produce with friends and family. He was a avid fan of all North Dakota Class B athletics and the NDSU Bison.

Richard was able to travel extensively in the United States and many other places in the world as a guest of his daughters in far flung lands.

He is survived by his wife, Elsie and their children Natalie Lynn Davidson-Johnson (Kaleb) Baxter, Minnesota; Carmen Beth (David) Burleigh – Woodbury, Minnesota; Heather Lisa (Freddie) Maneiro Elon,

North Carolina. Three grandchildren, Calliope and Elliott Johnson and Anika Grace Burleigh will miss their grandfather very much. He also leaves two sisters: Marjory (Maurice) Moen and Mary Hart and a brother Wesley Jack (Pam) Davidson. In addition, a brother-in-law Herb Scheeler and sisters-in-law Beverly Suby, Gloria (Raymond) Pecka, and Bonnie Sandeen survive him as well as numerous nieces and

nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Wilma Scheeler, a nephew, Michael Moen, and brothers-in-law Rudy Sandeen, Stewart Suby, and Jerry Smaaladen and a niece Lisa Suby.

Funeral services will be held at Bethany Lutheran Church in Rugby on Saturday, June 22, 2019 at 11:00 A.M. Friends may call at the church after 9:00 A.M.

Niewoehner Funeral Home – Rugby

Online tributes: www.niewoehnerfh.com