Richard Maltby died on Jan. 15, 2021 in Port Townsend, Washington, after a long illness.
He was born in southern California to Clifford Maltby and Alta Donnelly and grew up in Hollywood, California. He graduated from Hollywood High School and later Washington State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Police Science. His whole life he had wanted to be a police officer, inspired by two cousins in the LAPD.
In 1951 he married his high school sweetheart, Shirlee Van Eekhout, and then spent two years at Fort Ord in the military police unit of the U.S. Army. In 1957 he became a trooper for the Washington State Patrol and was assigned to the Colfax detachment. Shirlee and Dick had two daughters, Sue and Pam. In 1964 Shirlee died after a long struggle with cancer. Dick later married Mary Baker, an RN from Spokane. They had two daughters, Nancy and Karolyn.
During his time with WSP, he spent nine years working the road in Whitman County and then taught at the WSP Academy in Shelton. He later worked in WSP Personnel, as a District Commander in Vancouver and then retired as Deputy Chief in 1989. He loved working for the Patrol and joked that he would have worked for free, but his great love was always his family.
After retirement he and Mary moved to Port Townsend. He spent his retirement traveling in their motorhome and working in his woodshop, making “fun things” for the house, and keeping their yard shipshape. He also spent many happy days fishing in the Straits of Juan de Fuca, watching the whales and the cargo ships go by. He was an active member of the Port Townsend Presbyterian Church and the Cape George Community. Dick was preceded in death by his parents and brother and his infant daughter, Karolyn. He is survived by his wife, daughters and five grandchildren.
