Richard Chase, 73, of Libby died on Friday, Feb. 17, 2012, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. 

He was born on Aug. 13, 1938, in Ogden, Utah, the son of Arthur and Helen Cromwell. His father was killed in World War II and his mother later married Earl E. Chase, who legally adopted him.

Dick met his wife Shirley at Eastern Washington University. They married March 2, 1959, in Deer Park, Wash. He attended Eastern Washington University and the University of Montana. 

He joined the Montana Highway Patrol in 1965. He was stationed in Stanford, Choteau and Libby as he moved up the ranks. He retired from the Montana Highway Patrol as a captain stationed in Missoula in 1997 and moved back to Libby.

Survivors include his wife, Shirley Chase of Libby; son, Richard Chase, Jr., and wife, Lori, of Helena; daughter, Barbara Chase-McElmurry of Everett, Wash.; brother, Mike Chase and wife, Maria, of Moses Lake, Wash.; and grandchildren, Tyler, Trever and Annie Chase, and Connor and Keaton McElmurry.

Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home in Libby. Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24 at Christ Lutheran Church, 200 W. Larch St., in Libby.

Memorials may be made to WINGS, St. John's Lutheran Hospital Foundation, Montana Hope Project or Christ Lutheran Church.