Richard E. “Dick” Monroe

Richard E. “Dick” Monroe, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, aviator, outdoorsman, mentor, and friend, passed away on 8/27/26 at the age of 86.

Dick was born April 29, 1940, in Walton, New York, to Ruth and Earl Monroe. The youngest child in his family, he often joked that he was an “afterthought,” arriving several years after his older sister, Eleanor “Ellie.” He was anything but an afterthought to the many people whose lives he would eventually touch.

Dick grew up working on the family’s dairy farms in upstate New York. From an early age, he learned the value of hard work—milking cows before sunrise, hauling hay, caring for horses, cleaning barns, and eventually driving tractors. Those experiences shaped the independent, practical, and adventurous man he became.

He joined Cub Scouts in 1948 and later became involved in Boy Scouts and Sea Scouts. His love of adventure eventually led him to Cornell University, where he studied engineering and participated in Air Force ROTC.

After graduating, Dick earned his wings as a United States Air Force pilot. He flew both airplanes and helicopters and was eventually assigned to Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, flying UH-1 Hueys in support of missile sites. His military career took him to Vietnam, where he flew dangerous combat missions and served as a line pilot and chief test pilot.

Dick’s courage in combat earned him numerous military decorations, including Air Medals, the Air Force Commendation Medal, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and the Silver Star for gallantry in action.  One of his most memorable missions came in 1967, when Dick and his crew were sent to rescue a six-man team trapped near the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia border. Under heavy enemy fire and in darkness, they successfully evacuated the team. During the escape, their helicopter struck a tree, badly damaging the rotor system. Despite the damage, Dick kept the aircraft in the air and brought everyone safely to an airfield.

He later continued his aviation career with United Airlines. Flying remained one of his greatest passions throughout his life.

But Dick’s most enduring legacy may have been his devotion to Scouting.

After retiring, he dedicated countless hours to the Boy Scouts, helping thousands of young people learn leadership, responsibility, self-reliance, and the joy of the outdoors. He and his family helped develop Mountain Meadows in Duvall, Washington, into a place where generations of Scouts could camp, fish, build fires, earn merit badges, and create lifelong memories.

Dick was especially proud that his son Miguel became an Eagle Scout. He took enormous satisfaction in knowing that Mountain Meadows would continue giving young people the same opportunities for adventure and growth that Scouting had given him.

He also loved hunting, fishing, camping, engineering, airplanes, and telling stories. During his years in Montana, he became an accomplished hunter and joked that the family rarely needed to buy meat—except bacon.

Above all, Dick was a family man. He was a loving husband to Toni, a father, grandfather, and friend. He acknowledged that his careers in the military and aviation sometimes kept him away from home, and he was deeply grateful to his family for standing beside him throughout the years.

Dick approached life with courage, humor, and humility. He never wanted people to feel sorry for him. He believed in facing challenges head-on, staying healthy, helping others, and making the most of the time we are given.

He once said, “It’s been fun knowing you.” For those who knew Dick, that sentiment was mutual.

His life was one of extraordinary adventure—from farm fields in upstate New York, to the skies over Vietnam, to the cockpit of a commercial airliner, and finally to the campfires and fields of Mountain Meadows where he spent his retirement serving others.

His greatest legacy will not be the medals on his chest or the miles he traveled, but the people he inspired, the young lives he influenced, and the family and friends who loved him.

Dick is survived by his beloved wife of 50 years Toni who together managed the highs and lows in their lives and were true to their commitment to God and each other “till death do us part;”  his children Barbara, Judy, Paul, Natasha, Miguel;  grandchildren; extended family, countless friends, fellow aviators, Scouts, and young people whose lives he touched.

Fly high, Dick. You will be deeply missed and never forgotten.