Richard "Dick" Davidson

Richard August Davidson passed away in the early morning hours of December 18, 2021. Services will be held at 10:00 AM CST on Thursday, December 23, 2021 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Beulah with Fr. John Paul Gardner officiating. Burial will follow at 3:00 PM CST at the North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery, Mandan, ND.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM CST on Wednesday, December 22 at Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah.

Dick was born to Delmer and Eleanor (Gillick) Davidson in Bowman, ND on May 2, 1945. He was raised on the family farm north of Bowman and attended Mineral Springs and Bowman schools. He graduated from Bowman High School in 1963 and immediately joined the United States Air Force. Dick was stationed in Colorado Springs and England. After his discharge he returned to Bowman where he worked at Bowman Implement and Mann’s Automotive. This is where Dick met is wife, Michaelene Raber, and were married in 1973 in Scranton, ND.

In 1975, Dick and Michaelene moved to Beulah and he worked for Mann’s Automotive. In 1976 Dick started his career at Knife River Coal Mine/Dakota Westmoreland. First as a mechanic, then operator of 5130 backhoe. He retired from the mine in 2007.

Dick and Mike had their first child, Emily Patt in 1978 and Tucker Jay joined the family is 1983.

Dick’s life involved many medical issues, starting in 2001 while at work he fell from the backhoe he operated at Dakota Westmoreland. In 2013 after not feeling well for many months, it was found that Dick had colon cancer. After two re-occurrences, he had been cancer free for five years prior to passing away from complications of Alzheimer’s.

Dick’s first grandchild was born in 2003. Rayce Wesley Gullicks adored his Papa and Dick loved spending time with his buddy. In 2006 Delayne Ione Gullicks was born, 2014 Cohen Marie Davidson and completing the family in 2016 Crue Bryan Davidson.

Dick loved fishing, hunting, being with friends and family, and just having a good time. He was a jolly, happy go lucky guy.

He will be greatly missed by his wife, Michaelene, still in Beulah; daughter Emily (Wesley) Gullicks and son, Tucker (Mikaila) Davidson, all of Bismarck; his grandchildren, Rayce & Delayne and Cohen & Crue; sister, Sue (David) Juntunen; mother-in-law, LaVonne Raber; brother-in-law, Timothy (Doris) Raber; aunt, Evelyn McKitrick; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Family preceding Dick in death are his parents, Delmer and Eleanor; father-in-law, Kenneth Raber; sisters-in-law, SherryLynn Ruggles and Patricia Raber; along with numerous aunts and uncles.

In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to the North Dakota State Veterans Cemetery, the Mercer County Ambulance, or the charity of your choice.

Arrangements are conducted by Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen.

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