Richard “Dick” Chaffee, 84, of Crosby, ND passed away at the Bethel Lutheran Nursing & Rehabilitation Center on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 in Williston, ND.

Richard Duane “Dick” Chaffee was born on March 9, 1936 in Plentywood, MT to Ralph and Mary (Griffin) Chaffee. Most of his younger years were spent in Outlook, MT until the family relocated to Crosby, ND in 1950. His 9th Grade year he was unable to play basketball due to polio. He recovered stronger than ever and played basketball the next 3 years of high school after high school he played years of independent ball. As a kid, he always said that his family was lucky because they could hop on the train in the summer to see relatives in MN. Everything Dick did, he did with passion.

He began working for Power Creamery in 1955 until he retired in 2005. 50 years later. Along with his daytime job, he worked a few nights a week bartending at the American Legion and the Moose Club to support his family so they never went without.

Dick enjoyed traveling with his longtime girlfriend, Joyce. They enjoyed cruises, trips to AZ, but most memorable was their trip to New York for the final Baseball game in the Yankee Stadium.

Dick was an avid sports fan. One of his greatest passions was “The Chain Gang”. He never missed a high school home football game in 50 years. He loved “running the chains”. A game of great pride was the 1998 State Class A, 9 man football championship, when he and the others in the chain gang were invited to run the chains for the Divide County Maroons game, in which they won.

He was a big fan of the Twins and Vikings, but mostly the Divide County Maroons basketball & football.
Over the years Dick enjoyed golfing, curling, playing softball and baseball. He still found time to volunteer as a fireman where he proudly held the title of chief for 3 years and was an active EMT for many many years on the DC Ambulance. He was active in Concordia Lutheran Church, Moose Club, DC Quarter Back Club and where ever else his help was needed.

Dick is survived by daughter, Shelli (Brad) Lambert and their children, Jonathan Myers and his son, Leighton and Jonathan’s girlfriend, Tasha Thompson and her daughter Hadley; daughter, Megan (Tyler) Stahl and their children, Ryker, Asher, Aria, Celia; Ali (Gene) Beau Lac and their children, Jenner and Jensyn; son, Rick (Robin) Chafee and their children, Adam (Juliana) El-Abed, Garret Nelson and
fiancé Carissa Olson; son, Todd Chaffee; son, Ross Chaffee; Dick’s girlfriend, Joyce Ekness and her children, Ray (Pattie) Ekness, Randy (Brenda) Ekness and their daughters, Marissa Ratcliffe-Cox (Kevin) and her children Espen, Nevaeh, Watson; Kellie Ekness, Rusty (Janelle) Ekness and their children,
Noah and Lillian; Rhonda (Pete) Linder and their children, Peyton, Avery, and Owen; and sister, Margaret Hageboeck.

Dick is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Don Chaffee; granddaughter, Kelsie Myers.