Obituary: Henry Morris "Rich" Richbourg

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Henry Morris “Rich” Richbourg

Port Townsend, Wash.

Mar. 12, 1932 – Apr. 6, 2017

Henry Morris “Rich” Richbourg, 85, of Port Townsend, Wash. passed away on Apr. 6, 2017.

Rich was born in Summerton, South Carolina on Mar. 12, 1932 to Sadie and Bennie Richbourg. He was the youngest of five children. He made the journey to the Pacific Northwest when he joined the Coast Guard and was stationed in Port Angeles. There he met Mary Plaskett and they married on Aug. 7, 1953. They had five children and after moving to South Carolina for a few years, they came back west and put down roots in Quilcene, Wash.

He spent over 30 years working as a log scaler at Puget Sound Log Scaling and Grading Bureau, and volunteered at the fire department, Booster Club and Boy Scouts. After he retired from Scaling and Mary retired from teaching at the Quilcene School, they moved to Port Ludlow where they frequently had their grandchildren visit, and spent the summers traveling back to South Carolina by Amtrak.

While he had wonderful memories of South Carolina and considered himself a southern gentleman, he loved the Northwest and all of the fish and seafood it had to offer. He enjoyed catching fish, shucking oysters, crabbing, riding dirt bikes, driving his boat around Quilcene Bay, and working on boats and motors. Most of all, he liked to share time with his family and tell stories, especially about the family's history.

He is survived by his wife Mary; his daughters, Mary Ann Michelson and Sara “Meg” Lance; his son Jack Richbourg; and his brother John Richbourg; six grandchildren: Robert Myers, Megan Myers Lalasava, Rachel Michelson Ollivant, Lauren Michelson Brasket, Shawn Lance, Sara Richbourg and Austin Richbourg; and seven great grandchildren: Amy, Katherine, Benjamin and Thomas Ollivant; William and Lily Brasket and Amy Myers.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Sara Bryan, his brothers Fladger and James Richbourg, his son Craig Richbourg, his daughter Amy Myers and his grandson Nick Michelson.

His family would like to give heartfelt thanks to the team at San Juan Villa in Port Townsend who took wonderful care of Rich for the last few years.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sat. May 6, 2017 at 2 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church in Quilcene, Wash. He will be laid to rest in the Quilcene Cemetery.

Rich was a proud member of the French Huguenot Society. To honor his memory, donation in his name may be sent to: The Huguenot Society of South Carolina, 138 Logan Street, Charleston, SC 29401. 843-723-3235.