Richard Leo Lenz

Richard was born in Havre, Mont., to Rainer G. and Sarah M. (Vitt) Lenz. He went to the Lord after suffering a stroke while fighting another illness. His family and many wonderful caretakers at Avamere Court at Keizer attended him during his last hours.
After high school Richard joined the Navy as a shipboard and aviation electrician. While stationed at Fort Farragut, Idaho, he met Myra Virginia Arnold in Coeur d’Alene. After serving in Jacksonville, Fla., and Oakland, Calif., he returned to Montana and they married. He attended the Montana School of Mines, graduating as a mining engineer. He worked at the Montana Highway Dept. in Helena, Mont., for three years. On his way to apply for a job in Nevada, Richard stopped in Salem, Ore., to see what was available, got a job at the Oregon Highway Dept., bought a small farm and stayed 30-plus years. During this time he went back to school at Chemeketa Community College and got his civil engineering certification. He switched from highway draftsman to hydraulics and hydrology, working on several bridge/highway projects including the development of Round Butte Dam highways.
He loved to ride motorcycles, shoot and hunt. He was a member of Four Corners Rod & Gun Club and on their competition teams. He taught square dancing and round dancing for the Friendly Squares Dance Group at Keizer Lions’ Hall. He and Myra often had matching outfits which Myra sewed.
About 1984 they moved to Milton-Freewater, Ore., and in 1986 bought Little River Mobile Home Park. They still own the park but four years ago his health was failing and the family moved them back to Salem/Keizer. They had become snowbirds, going to Tucson, Ariz., every winter when they could. During that time Richard discovered his love of singing, which he did up to the day before he died, joining a men’s choir group in Arizona. He also discovered ironwood and had an extensive collection of animal carvings.
He is survived by his six children: Ramona Thomas (Michael), Monte (Shirley) in Medford, Kenneth (Jeri) in Huntington, Terry (Sharon) In Salem, Jeri Anne Whited in Portland and Marla Lenz in Aumsville. He is also survived by his wife of 69 years, sister Eileen Reeves in Seattle, brothers Lawrence in Idaho and Gerhard in Ecuador. He was pre-deceased by his parents and brother Eugene of Montana.