Richard "Dicky" Deats

Richard "Dicky" Deats sadly passed away from heart complications at the Kalispell Hospital late on Thursday, July 14, 2011.

Dicky was born in Los Angeles, on Feb. 27,1945.  He was one of 5 brothers.  Dicky lived and loved the Motion Picture Business where he worked as a Key Grip since 1962.

Throughout Dicky's life he accomplished so much in life and in business.  He worked on numerous featured films, traveled the world, 1985 winning an academy award for technical achievement on designing one of the very first portable camera cranes, building his dream home overlooking the lake, and loving his 3 children that he leaves behind.

In 1979 Dicky fell in love with Montana's beautiful scenery, and Jessie Harring.  Dicky, a father of 2 children, Danyi and Jerry, married Jessie and soon after made Montana their permanent home. Their son Jimmy was born in 1988.  In 2004 Jessie passed away. 

In 2006 Dicky retired from the motion picture industry, built his dream home on Skyles Lake, enjoyed the company of Cynnie Troup and most recently started his excavation and sanding business.

Dicky had love for Montana and all it had to offer. It gave him great pleasure to live and work here. He enjoyed riding horses in the mountains, and on the new Whitefish trail that runs through a portion of his property. He loved his horses and his best friend Sugar darling (his dog). The laughs never stopped when he went fishing, hunting or playing golf with his brothers and sons. He had recently joined the trap shooting league where of course he was “sure shot”. We will always remember Dicky on his snow plow in the winter and planting in the spring.  As he pretended it was work when he really loved it.  Dicky also made sure to visit California to spend time with his family and grandchildren.  

Dicky was passionate about helping out. He held a large part in volunteering for the Whitefish Winter Carnival Skijoring event. He enjoyed this event as a worker and as a spectator watching his sons and horses compete. Being in Montana was one of things he loved the most — he took advantage of everything here — this place and big skies fit him absolutely perfectly!

Dicky was an incredible father, brother, husband and friend to all that knew him. He had a heart of gold that just kept giving; it gave him great pleasure to help out all that needed it. He was a true humanitarian.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father and his wife Jessie.

Dicky is survived by his 3 children; Danyi, Jerry and Jimmy, his three brothers Jerry, Floyd and Wayne Deats, along with his 10 grandchildren.

Please direct any contributions or questions to celebratedd@hotmail.com

We invite all to come celebrate Dicky’s life with a potluck on  Sunday, July 31, 2011 at 305 Skyles Lake Lane, Montana at 2 p.m.

Then again in California on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2011, information TBA.

Arrangements entrusted to Austin Funeral Home. You are invited to go www.austinfh.com. To offer condolences and view Dicky's tribute wall.