Richard (Dick) Dean Nordstrom was born
in Topeka, Kansas, on a cold winter?s day 2/7/1933. Dickie was the
first grandchild on either side of the family. He was named Richard
for his father?s (Albert Edward Nordstrom) best friend and Dean for
his mother?s (Wanda Lyle Officer) brother who died shortly before
Dick was born. He always said that his grandparents had a lot of
influence on his life. Bessie and Ernest Officer were his mother?s
parents and Betty Nordstrom was his father?s mother. It is perhaps
significant that he was born in the middle of the ?great
depression? and in the middle of the ?dust bowl? era.
Dick and his family moved to Newton
when he was 7. In the process of changing schools, he skipped the
third grade. This was his reason for having such poor penmanship. The
third grade is where one learned cursive. He graduated from Newton
High in 1950. Next, he graduated from the University of Kansas in
1954. After two years in the Navy, he returned to study Law at KU.
After one year of law, he joined his father in the Ford Business in
Newton. He had met Margaret Anne Throm at KU. They were married in
1958.
Margaret and Dick had two children (as
he told everyone they had one of every kind of child.) Neal and his
wife Debbie had two girls ? Julia (married to Ajitesh Srivastava)
and Anna. Pam and her husband Kevin also had two girls ? Samantha
and Mallory. Dick often told others his children had winning lottery
tickets when they selected a spouse. The four granddaughters were all
adored, loved, and a source of pride
A wise man once said to be successful
in life one must plant a tree, write a book and teach his children to
be good citizens. Dick did all three. While running the Ford
Dealership, Richard obtained an MBA degree from Wichita State
University. In 1970 the Ford Dealership was sold and Richard went to
the University of Arkansas where, in 1974, he was awarded a Ph.D. in
business. He taught at Western Illinois University until 1981 at
which time he accepted a professorship at California State University
Fresno. When he retired, he was awarded Emeriti status in 2003.
During his academic life Dick wrote
three books, authored 102 referred articles, published 10 case
studies and won several awards for research. He also qualified as an
expert witness to testify in courts in three states where he appeared
over 100 times.
In addition to loving time with his
family, Dick liked to play golf and was proud of having an
eighteen-hole score equal to his age when he was 78,79,80, 82.
Richard liked to fish, watch sports especially KU basketball and
read. He looked forward to his annual salmon fishing trip to Gold
Beach, Or. After a hiatus during the pandemic, he made the trip one
last time earlier this year. Dick read many books (usually having a
bookmark in three books at any one time) covering the gamut from
mysteries to business to Christian theology.
Dick was active in the churches of the
communities where he lived. He was a charter member of a Methodist
church in Newton, Ks, and an active member of Hope Lutheran Church in
Fresno at the time of his death. He requested that anyone who might
think of sending memorial flowers to please reconsider and send a
check to Hope Lutheran Church Omega Fund 5435 N. Fresno Street,
Fresno California 93710.
