Richard Edwin Nightingale

Richard Nightingale, son of Edwin and Helen Nightingale, went to heaven on November 18, 2011. He probably didn’t waste any time finding the best fly rod and stream in heaven to cast in.

When Richard wasn’t thinking about fishing he was working hard, or traveling with his wife Joyce, kids and grandkids to the Oregon Coast. He loved his family, grandchildren and great-grandkids and enjoyed playing games, reading to them, and doing just about anything they asked him to do. He also enjoyed photography and loved taking pictures of special family times.

Richard worked hard through school, graduating from Whitman College in l949. He completed his graduate work at WSU and went on to get a Ph.D. in physical chemistry in l953. He was a United States delegate to the l958 and l964 Geneva Conferences on Peaceful Uses of Atomic energy in Switzerland. He published many technical articles on physical chemistry during his professional career and was proud to be the author of Nuclear Graphite, the principal constituent of the Hanford production reactor. Richard retired from Battelle-Northwest Labs in l991 and spent the rest of his days on the river and with family and friends. He received his 60 year Honorary Membership award to the American Chemical Society. Richard had a very successful career in his field, but more importantly demonstrated his Christian values and beliefs, to his family and those he came in contact with.

He is preceded in death by his parents and younger brother, Bill Nightingale of Olympia WA. Richard is survived by his sister, Martha Sanders, of Vancouver, WA and three daughters; Katherine Loney and her husband Terry, of Richland, WA, Sue Nightingale of Kennewick, WA, and Laurie Dvornak and her husband Mark, of Burlington, KY. Joyce and Richard have 4 grandchildren; Pastor Lincoln Loney and his wife Stephanie of Poulsbo,WA, Angela Butler and her husband Dan of Walla Walla, WA, and Mikaila and Mark Ethan Dvornak of Burlington, KY. They also were blessed to have 8 great-grandchildren. His bride of 67 years, Joyce Nightingale continues to live in Richland WA.

The family wishes to express their appreciation to Professional Case Management and their wonderful, loving nurses who cared for Richard as though he were part of their family. A private family graveside service will be held at Mountain View Cemetery. A Memorial Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 2:00 PM at the Amazing Grace Church of the Nazarene with Rev. Ron Alexander officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to any local American Red Cross, an organization Richard assisted over the years through the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla, WA.