He was born to Clyde and Cleta (Stretch) Paddock on April 15, 1941 in Portland, Oregon. The family later moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon, where Dick graduated from Klamath Union High School in 1959.
Dick worked for many years in route sales for Oroweat, Continental Bakery, and Frito Lay. In 1968 Dick met his wife-to-be, Leslie Powell of Wapato, and the two were married on April 28, 1973. The couple welcomed a daughter, Jennifer Irene, in 1981.
It was then that Dick convinced Leslie to go into the food business, and they soon established “Pinocchio’s Pizza Parlor” in Wapato.
Dick became regionally famous for his creation of a “BBQ Beef Pizza.” He took great delight in the success of this pizza, as his mother-in-law and sisters-in-law had told him: “Nobody’s going to buy that pizza!”
His culinary prowess was also on display at the Paddock’s next venture, “Geppetto’s Italian Bistro,” where Dick’s secret spaghetti sauce was a huge crowd pleaser.
Dick had many interests in life, including scuba diving, which he enjoyed in the waters of Hawaii and Bonaire, in the Dutch Caribbean. But his life-long craze (literally… from age 5 on…) was CARS. Photos of his high school car club are straight out of “Grease!”
In adulthood — or what Leslie refers to as his first mid-life crisis — he renovated a 1960’s Mustang Fastback, which paved the way for his late-life crisis, a 2013 Corvette.
People who knew him best describe him as very friendly, honest, and deeply caring. Dick was happy to share his talents as a member of the Board of Directors for NAMI — the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
More recently, Dick enjoyed sipping his Pepsi with patrons and staff at a local pub where he was affectionately known as “The Mayor of McGuire’s.”
He is survived by his wife Leslie and daughter Jennifer; sister-in-law Terry Powell, and brother-in-law & sister-in-law Woody and Billie Woodcock, all of Yakima; a sister, Judy (Neal) Shelton, Klamath Falls; and nieces Diahn (Del) Fox, great-nephew Garet Fox, Christy (Brian) Turner, and Erin Moore, and great-niece Amelia Moore.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde Paddock and Cleta Wachter, and parents-in-law, Earl and Barbara Powell.
The family extends a special “Thank You” to the physicians, nurses, and staff at the University of Washington Northwest Hospital and Heartlinks Hospice in Sunnyside. Private family services will be held at Terrace Heights Memorial Park. A celebration of Dick’s life will take place at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, gifts in remembrance may be made to Comprehensive Healthcare, Heartlinks Hospice in Sunnyside, or “All Mutts Great and Small,” in care of Keith & Keith, 902 West Yakima Ave., Yakima, WA, 98902. A special thank you to the staff of Keith and Keith Funeral Home for their care and concern.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.keithandkeith.com for the Paddock family.
