Richard A. "Dick" Tarver

In Loving Memory Richard A. "Dick" Tarver May 31, 1921-Oct. 16, 2010. Richard A. "Dick" Tarver, 89, passed away Oct. 16, 2010, in Walla Walla, Wash., following a brief illness. Dick was born May 31, 1921, in Benton, Ark., to Ralph C. Tarver and Eula Howard Tarver. Following graduation from Little Rock High School, he worked for Missouri Pacific Railroad and then enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942. He served in the Navy Signal Corps in the South Pacific during World War II. Dick married Sara Cother in Little Rock in January, 1943. Dick and Sara made their first home in San Francisco, Calif., where he was stationed in the Navy. Sara passed away in 1972 and is survived by sisters Gloria Ponder and Myra Runyon of North Little Rock. Following discharge from the Navy, Dick began a career with Bell Telephone Company in Tacoma, Wash. His first job for Bell was that of many incoming employees: collecting coins from pay phones. He retired in 1981 as District Manager at Walla Walla, Wash., after more than 30 years of service to Bell in several northwest cities. Dick loved the game of golf. His best friends were those he made on golf courses in Western Washington, Walla Walla, and his post-retirement travels in Southern California and Arizona. Some of Dick's last conversations involved golf, and his clubs were in his car on the day he died. Physical fitness was important to Dick. At the time of his death, he was an active member of a local gym. Dick is survived by a son, Michael Tarver of Phoenix, Ariz.; daughter, Susan Tarver of Walla Walla; sister, Betty Lewis of Phoenix, Ariz.; two granddaughters; two great-grandsons; and numerous cousins living in Arkansas.