Richard Gene Poulton Richard Gene Poulton

Richard Gene Poulton was born on March 12, 1954 in Gillette, Wyo., to Bill and Pat Poulton. He grew up in Roundup and Baker, Mont., until the Poulton family settled in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, when Richard was in eighth grade.

He graduated from Bonners Ferry High School in 1972 and went on to join the Navy to attend communications electrician’s school. He then attended Columbia Technical Institute in Washington, D.C., to study drafting, graduating in 1974.

Rich spent his early career a draftsman working on projects such as the Rock Island Dam in Wenatchee, Wash., and the Satsop Nuclear Power Plant. He spent most of his adult life in Olympia, Wash., to be near his two daughters and seven grandchildren. He loved his daughters and grandchildren with all his heart and his favorite thing was to have family dinners all together, which they did often. He worked for Lew Rents in Olympia for 15 years and they became like a second family to him.

Rich was a die-hard Seahawks fan and would always be seen wearing his Seahawks gear on blue Fridays. He loved creating art, writing poetry, playing the guitar, and collecting gadgets. He spent the last 18 months of his life back in his hometown of Bonners Ferry with his family, and became Uncle MooMoo to his many great nieces and nephews, whom he adored.

Rich passed away peacefully at home the evening of May 29, 2020, surrounded by family.

Rich is survived by his mother, Pat Poulton; brother, Randy Poulton; sisters, Cathi Winkelseth, Carrie Figgins, and Shelly Yount; daughters, Andrea Soll and Tina Roberts; grandchildren, Olivia, Haylee, Anna, Coen, Hunter, Leo, and Henry. He is preceded in death by his father, Bill Poulton.

A private graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, June 12, at Grandview Cemetery in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. A celebration of life will follow at The Springs at Kootenai River Inn.