Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.
Richard Polehn, age 63, of the Tri-cities, Wash. departed this life on September 9, 2016 after a 10+ year battle with brain cancer and its treatment. His family and friends will sorely miss his kind, gentle, and generous spirit and sense of humor.
Richard earned a PhD in Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and served as an adjunct professor in Mechanical Engineering at WSU - Tri-cities. Early in his career, Richard taught enlisted and officer personnel Mechanical Engineering at the Navy Orlando Training Center in Florida. He was honorably discharged at the end of his tour of duty. He then worked at the Tennessee Valley Authority constructing nuclear power plants for a number of years before coming to the Tri-cities area with his wife.
Richard leaves behind his wife Jeanie, his father and mother Leo and Betty Polehn, his brothers and sister Fred, Frank, Linda, and Mike, nieces and nephews Cheri and Dustin Davis; Julia and Jeff Guscette, Sabrina and Lisa Polehn, and Leo Polehn, Jr., as well as Aunt Donnie and Uncle Marvin Polehn and their children and grandchildren and Aunt Margarette and Uncle Rod Chisholm and their children and grandchildren. Special friends included, but were not limited to: Tom and Ann Leen, Tom Freeman, and Chet Hall.
A heartfelt thank you to friends and family and the following many folks who helped Richard and his wife with his brain cancer battle and life transition:
Tri-cities Chaplaincy Hospice (509) 783-7416
Home Instead (509) 591-0019
Tri-cities Home Health (509) 783-1851
Tri-cities Cancer Center (509) 783-9894
NW Cancer Clinic (509) 987-1800
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the following charities of your choice:
