Richard Greil

MISSOULA - On the evening of December. 21, 2008, our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Richard Philip Greil, the patriarch of our clan and the captain of our ship, suddenly and unexpectedly passed away peacefully in his home on the bank of the Clark Fork River near Missoula at the age of 78.





Richard was born March 23, 1930, on the family farm near Tomahawk, Wis., to his parents Philip Jacob and Alice Hermena Draeger Greil. “Baldy,” as he was known to his friends and family in Wisconsin, spent his youth working with his family in various farming, logging, trucking and other business endeavors. Living in a rural area of Wisconsin, Dick grew up doing all the things that young men do, enjoying the outdoors, getting into mischief with his friends and relatives, boxing and becoming a crack shot with his rifle. He graduated from Tomahawk High School in 1949.





After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, attended basic training in Del Rio, Texas, and then was stationed in Denver. While stationed in Denver, Richard met his future wife, Elva Mae Thomas, and the two were married March 14, 1952, in Denver.





Dick and Elvie then moved to his next assigned post in the U.S. territory of Fairbanks, Alaska. They had fond memories of their time in Alaska where he was an avid outdoorsman and Elvie worked as a stewardess for Wien Airlines.





After being honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force, Dick returned to the Lower 48. He worked hauling pulp in Wisconsin before moving to the San Francisco area to work construction. Dick again pursued a career in logging and moved to Oregon where their first son Robert was born in Oregon City in 1957.





The family then moved to Colorado where Dick hauled logs and their second son Thomas was born in 1960 in Salida.





After hearing of trucking and logging possibilities in Montana, Dick, Elvie and their two sons moved to Missoula in 1960 and shortly thereafter finally set their roots on the Clark Fork River near Bonner. Dick’s mother and father moved out a short time later to live nearby.





In 1968, their third son James was born. With his wife Elvie at his side, Dick began a career of log hauling, logging and road construction that spanned over 50 years.





Dick first hauled logs, then eventually formed Triple Tree Inc. in 1970 and began logging and road construction all over the Northwest. In 1979, he began road construction full time. Later on he diversified into several other business interests. Dick enjoyed his work and his business immensely, and his greatest thrill came when working in the woods and running heavy equipment.





While reluctantly taking time from work on occasion, Dick had several other interests, including playing cards and pool with his neighbors, driving around the Northwest, whirlwind trips to Las Vegas with family and friends to try his hand at the blackjack tables, showing off his skill at hunting, and of course, intensely watching while cheering on or cussing out the Green Bay Packers.





He was intelligent and quick-witted with his comments and smile and loved to tease his men, however, when work was to be done, there was no compromising or slacking off without quick retribution, and there was absolutely no doubt who was in charge.





Dick was very supportive of the Bonner school, the Boy Scouts and surrounding community. He was a generous man who treated everyone he met, no matter what their background, evenly and fairly, and judged people on their deeds, not their words. He was known in his community as a man of the highest integrity who spoke his mind, could wheel and deal with the best of them and had little patience for BS. Rich earned the respect of his family, peers and friends throughout his life. He loved to work and his ethic was without question, but his true passions were his wife and family and he felt compelled to provide for them at any cost. Without knowing, but by his example, he touched the lives of many people and taught his sons how to be men.





Rich leaves behind his wife and devoted partner in life for 56 years, Elva; his three sons and their families, Bob and Marlene and children Christopher, Nicholas and Jennifer of Missoula; Tom and Mary and children Benjamin and Kathryn of Missoula; Jim and Heather and children Kirsten, Alaric and Maximus of Helena; his brother Raymond and his sister Phyllis and her husband Keith Osterbrink, and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father Philip and his mother Alice.





Dad, we will miss you with all of our hearts. Your passing has left a hole in our lives that will never be filled, except with the memories of your time with us and the promise that we will see you again. Your final course has been charted and you are captain of your ship once again.





A private family service is planned. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the donor’s choice. A public memorial service and a celebration of Dick’s life is being planned for sometime around spring break-up in early 2009.
Read Richard Greil's Obituary and Guestbook.