Richard Hewes Robie

September 28, 1935 - April 30, 2023

Richard “Dick” Hewes Robie, passed away quietly April 30th, 2023 in his Winnemucca home. Dick, as most everyone knew him, was born in Los Angeles County California, September 28, 1935. Dick started working at a young age, mowing lawns, and doing yard work, establishing a solid work ethic for the remainder of his life. He worked hard and believed in contributing to the success of his chosen business, his country, and his community. He was a patriot and loved what this country stands for, and respected those who fought to provide the freedom for which we are so blessed.

He joined the US Navy Reserves and served for 4 years. His job in the Reserves was as a Navigator and this is when he learned to fly. He continued to fly small planes, on and off, for most of his life. And when he wasn’t flying, he was working with, watching and admiring planes and the pilots who flew them. His job at Northrop offered him multiple opportunities to work on the cutting edge of flight engineering, most notably he was directly involved with the development and manufacturing of the Stealth Bomber.

He married my mom, and together they rode horses, roped, rodeoed, and played at the Sunset Stables in Hollywood, California. They were married and had two wonderful (if I do say so myself!) children, Heather, and Eric Robie. The marriage resulted in divorce; however, he remained involved with his children throughout his life.

He married JR (Jonnalee Hartman) Robie, and it was the beginning of a partnership filled with love and adventure. They lived in Norco, CA where they participated in parades via horseback (and mules) and old cars, showed horses and mules, raised Rottweilers and Dad served as a Norco Mounted Policeman. One of his greatest adventures was riding across the Mojave Desert on a six-day camping trip. Their favorite time of year was Memorial Day and attending Mule Days in Bishop, CA.

As part of his position with Northrop he traveled to the middle east quite often and eventually he and JR spent 3 years in Saudi Arabia. During this time, he and JR traveled all over Europe together.

They moved from Norco, CA to Gardnerville, NV and eventually Dick and JR moved to Paradise Valley in ‘2000 a mile or so up Wash O’Neil. The first year they lived in a little outbuilding while their home was being built. The little outbuilding had no toilet or shower. The solution was a port-a-potty outside the front door and showers at the C-Store. When the Wash O’Neil property become too much for him to manage, he and JR moved further into Paradise and lived at the Martin Creek house until 2021, at which time JR moved into an assisted living facility and Dad moved to town.

When he first moved to Paradise Valley, he became very involved in the community. He joined the Mason’s and in 2019 became a Master. He was involved with the Humboldt County Republican Committee, served on the Debt Commission, was on the Museum Board of Directors, Airport Board of Directors and was a member of the American Legion. He also supported the Rainbow Girls, and they held a special place in his heart. He was very proud of all the girls and always wanted the best for them. He impacted many lives with his wisdom, his commitment to excellence and his kind heart. He had few close friends, lifelong friends all of which held a special place in his heart. Skip Hammargren, Bruce Carpenter, Judy and Bill Kroll to name a few.

Jonnalee passed on January 1, 2023, and Dad followed her four months later on April 30, 2023. He is survived by his daughter Heather Robie of Winnemucca, NV, his son Eric Hewes Robie of Reno, NV, (Eric’s wife Momoyo Saito, and her two children Kiseki and Miname) his grandson Jacob Hewes Robie and granddaughter Lola Dean Robie.

Rest in Peace Dad, you will be missed.