Richard S. Hadbavny

ST. HELENS Ore. — Richard passed away after a long illness on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026.

He was born in Olean, N.Y., to Michael and Bernadine Hadbavny.

He graduated from Allegany (N.Y.) Central School in 1962, Paul Smith’s College with an associate degree in terminal forestry and worked for Dresser-Clark Plant One on two summer vacations and WESTVACO Paper Company in Tyrone, Pa. as a laboratory technician in 1964, then was drafted in the U.S. Army and later attended Syracuse University College of Forestry, graduating with a second associate degree in wood products engineering and a Bachelor of Science in pulp and paper science engineering. He also worked during this degree for WESTVACO in Pasedena, Texas.

While in the army serving in the 101st Airborne Division in I-Corps Vietnam for 15 months, he quickly advanced to sergeant with a specialty rating as a machine gunner and during this time in service was presented a Bronze Star medal for volunteering with his squad to rescue a Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) that was over-run, and carried a wounded soldier five miles to a landing zone (LZ). His bravery and service were recognized with several additional honors, including two Purple Hearts, an Army Commendation Medal, a Combat Infantry Badge and a Sharpshooter Medal.

Following Syracuse University, he married Nancy Gowdy from Olean, who is a retired ICU nurse and started a long career rooted in hard work and dedication.

He was employed by Boise Cascade Paper Company mill in St. Helens from 1971 to 1999 as a process engineer, relief pulp mill tour boss and process engineer, technical assistant to the paper mill superintendent, pulp and paper mill night mill supervisor, power and recovery tour foreman and assistant recovery superintendent, assistant superintendent pulping, assistant superintendent bleaching, pulp mill superintendent, pulp mill team manager, wood yard modernization production team leader, dioxin reduction project team leader, manager, pulp quality improvement task force and senior maintenance engineer. The best job he ever had was working for Cliff Connelly in maintenance.

His greatest challenge was prior to becoming the pulp mill superintendent, spending roughly four days a week in Vancouver, British Columbia, working with a design firm in creating a $50 million plant modernization and expansion, which he then supervised the construction by Kamyr Construction, Glenns Falls N.Y., specializing in paper mill modernization.

A man of many interests, Dick loved to garden many varieties of vegetables, especially sugar snap peas and tomatoes, and was a real sportsman from his teen days as a fur trapper, muskellunge fisherman and deer hunter. Those early years were filled with curiosity and adventure.

Oregon allowed him to do a lot of boating, fishing for chinook salmon, Pacific sturgeon, and steelhead trout species, harvested Razor clams plus occasionally fished in Alaska and British Columbia for Chinook salmon, halibut, Pacific sturgeon and bounty fished for sheefish, an invasive species.

Also foraging for wild mushrooms, building a smoker and smoking fish and deer he harvested. With his pair of Chesapeake retrievers, Megan and Dusky, he built his own dog kennels and he earned awards with both field trials and dog shows and in season, harvested ducks and Canada geese since his area on the Columbia River was on the Pacific flyway.

In the fall, he hunted mule deer and Roosevelt elk in the Cascade Mountains, where he lived, and also Rocky Mountain elk in eastern Oregon and Wyoming. He often hunted and fished with his brother CDR Michael T. Hadbavny, USN Retired.

In the summer, he both skeet and trap shot competitively and would often shoot 1000 rounds a week at three different contests within the state of Oregon and southwest Washington, winning often enough to pay for all his hobbies. Over the years he belonged to many professional, sportman and veterans’ organizations.

He was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 40. Over the years as he became more disabled, he no longer was able to do all the things he loved and enjoyed doing. He met this challenge with unwavering strength, courage and resilience.

In October, he was diagnosed  with cancer. This was the one challenge he couldn’t overcome.

Dick was deeply loved and will be profoundly missed. We take comfort in knowing he is no  longer suffering.

A private memorial will be held at a later date to honor Dick’s life.