Obituary of Richard Stokes

Richard D. Stokes, Jr. May 03, 1938 - October 23, 2019 Richard D. Stokes, Jr. ("Dick") passed away on October 23, 2019 after a hard fought battle with cancer. Dick was born in Oakland, CA, May 3, 1938 to Richard D. Stokes, Sr. and Barbara Chaine Stokes. He was the second of eleven brothers and sisters and is predeceased by both parents along with his sister Ellan and brother Brian. Dick graduated from St. Joseph's High School in Alameda, CA in 1956. He also earned a BA in History and an MBA from the University of Oregon. Dick had an amazing life. Growing up, there was not much money to go around so he held many jobs throughout his schooling, from grade school to graduate school, ranging from shining shoes, delivering pharmacies on his bike throughout Oakland, bartending at the Kingfish, a well-known Oakland/Berkeley establishment, and coating raisins for Kellogg's Raisin Bran to name a few. He also worked in several supermarkets both in high school as well as through college and a had a strong knowledge of that industry. In between jobs, Dick was briefly in the Army and served in the Army Reserves thereafter for several years. In 1960, Dick and his friend Rodger Williams decided they wanted to leave the Bay Area and had narrowed their choices to Skagit Valley, WA and Bend, OR. By way of a coin flip, they headed to Bend; shortly thereafter, Dick met Bend native and future elementary school teacher, Sheila; Dick and Sheila married in 1963 and shared 56 years of marriage together. In 1965, Dick took a job as a CPA with what was then known as Piquet, Minihan in Eugene, OR, and what has since been renamed Kernutt, Stokes. Along with many others, notably Don Kernutt (who also joined the firm in 1965), Dick helped build Kernutt Stokes into a leading CPA practice and business consultancy over several decades. Even in retirement, Dick would show up to Kernutt Stokes often, where he shared an office with Don, and where he made a visit just a few weeks prior to his passing. Dick believed strongly in serving the community and groups with which he was involved. He served as a Trustee on the University of Oregon Foundation, founding Trustee of the St. Paul Foundation, President and member of the Eugene Hearing and Speech Center, President of the Marist Foundation along with being a member and former President of the Eugene Country Club. He also served as a member and Treasurer of Volunteers in Medicine, a member and Treasurer of the Eugene Chamber of Commerce and a member and Treasurer of the Junior Achievement board. Sheila and Dick were long-time residents of Eugene, OR, where they developed many life long friendships. He was an avid Oregon Ducks fan and held season tickets for several decades across many sports. He loved the Oregon outdoors and enjoyed spending time running with friends (he completed four marathons), hiking with his daughter Julia in the Cascades and playing many rounds of golf with his family and friends. In his later years, he especially loved spending time with his grandchildren, most notably playing cards with them while sharing his life lessons and stories from his past. More than anything, Dick cared about people: his close-knit family and his many friendships and business relationships built over his lifetime; he went out of his way to serve others, in all ways big and small and will be missed by all of those who were fortunate to have known him. Dick is survived by his wife Sheila, daughter Julia, son-in-law Scott, son Michael, daughter-in-law Jessica, and four grandchildren. Service will be held Saturday, November 9th at St. Paul's Catholic Church with a reception to follow at the Eugene Country Club.