I remember Dicky’s enormously captivating energy when we all lived at The Farm, even now 50 years later. But my memory of the day Belle learned of her youngest son’s death is forever burned into my mind’s eye. Belle and Jim were out on the deck of the Blue Barn. Belle was sobbing uncontrollably, her eyes red and swollen and she was chain smoking cigarettes. She and Jim were sitting on the deck; she looked at me and said, “Don’t ever have just one child.” (Belle and Morry Dragoon had had 4 sons.)
I did not know Dickie (as I've herd him referred to). I was born about a year after he was killed. I really love hearing the stories of him here. Thank you all for sharing - he sounds like such a beautiful and energizing young person. Even without knowing him, my heart breaks after all these years for his family (who I and grew up around, but whose pain I did not know). I also love hearing stories of High Valley before I was born. It was a pretty wild place, but you just kind of accept everything as a kid.Ken - I hope you know I loved Belle and Jim like grandparents. They were such an important part of…
DickieDickie was one of my best friends when we were kids at MLC, and at the Farm and wandering the streets of Portland. We were the same age and our lives brought us together. We were both Jewish and we went to the same school; our parents were involved in the same progressive Jewish groups, and of course we were part of the High Valley Farm community.
Before High Valley, Dickie and I hung out a lot, not only at MLC.
Who was Dickie? He was handsome, smart, confident, and fearless, but most of all he was fun. We had many adventures and we had good places back then to have…
I met Dick in high school. His family had just moved to Skamania County, and he came to Stevenson High School with his older brother Ken. I didn't have any classes with him, but I often hung out in my favorite teacher's classroom, along with others who felt at home there, and sometimes Dick was there, too.
Dick was fun to be around. He was interested and curious about the world. He always had something new to talk about. It was refreshing to spend time with him.
I remember visiting Ken and Dick's home, which was beautiful. The three of us went to walk the herd of goats out to the pasture. It was warm out, and still, and the…
Dick Dragoon was mostly Dick and often Dicky to his friends and family—however as we now know from the time-capsule letters here on his memorial website, while he still addressed his brother Ken as “Kenny,” he signed his letters to him, and to his mom Belle, as “Richard.”
And not merely “Richard,” but to Belle as “your son Richard,” and to Ken as “YOUR BROTHER THE GREAT BEAUTIFUL SMART ALL AROUND NICE GUY and a GREAT KID, RICHARD DRAGOON … Signed, Richard Dragoon.” That was from Fall 1971, when he would have been thirteen.
It sounds like Dick was shedding his little-kid-ness and youngest-brother-ness and starting to assemble an adult persona. To my ear what shows through in the letters’…
Bless you Sam for this piece. I remember the skiing accident, though I wasn't on the mountain with him on that trip. He was a daredevil in all things. The family was supposed to spend the weekend at Timberline Lodge, but his accident ended that. I've never spent the night at Timberline.
I haven't thought about his voice in all these years. I kick myself a bit that I can't conjure it in my head now.
I did hear that voice in the weeks following his death. Dick regularly appeared in my dreams. Always the same- we would be walking along a rural road someplace just shooting the breeze. As we walked and talked, I would grow increasingly uneasy and…
I remember Dicky’s enormously captivating energy when we all lived at The Farm, even now 50 years later. But my memory of the day Belle learned of her youngest son’s death is forever burned into my mind’s eye. Belle and Jim were out on the deck of the Blue Barn. Belle was sobbing uncontrollably, her eyes red and swollen and she was chain smoking cigarettes. She and Jim were sitting on the deck; she looked at me and said, “Don’t ever have just one child.” (Belle and Morry Dragoon had had 4 sons.)
I did not know Dickie (as I've herd him referred to). I was born about a year after he was killed. I really love hearing the stories of him here. Thank you all for sharing - he sounds like such a beautiful and energizing young person. Even without knowing him, my heart breaks after all these years for his family (who I and grew up around, but whose pain I did not know). I also love hearing stories of High Valley before I was born. It was a pretty wild place, but you just kind of accept everything as a kid. Ken - I hope you know I loved Belle and Jim like grandparents. They were such an important part of…
This from long time family friend Mark Friedman:
Dickie Dickie was one of my best friends when we were kids at MLC, and at the Farm and wandering the streets of Portland. We were the same age and our lives brought us together. We were both Jewish and we went to the same school; our parents were involved in the same progressive Jewish groups, and of course we were part of the High Valley Farm community.
Before High Valley, Dickie and I hung out a lot, not only at MLC.
Who was Dickie? He was handsome, smart, confident, and fearless, but most of all he was fun. We had many adventures and we had good places back then to have…
I met Dick in high school. His family had just moved to Skamania County, and he came to Stevenson High School with his older brother Ken. I didn't have any classes with him, but I often hung out in my favorite teacher's classroom, along with others who felt at home there, and sometimes Dick was there, too.
Dick was fun to be around. He was interested and curious about the world. He always had something new to talk about. It was refreshing to spend time with him.
I remember visiting Ken and Dick's home, which was beautiful. The three of us went to walk the herd of goats out to the pasture. It was warm out, and still, and the…
Dick Dragoon was mostly Dick and often Dicky to his friends and family—however as we now know from the time-capsule letters here on his memorial website, while he still addressed his brother Ken as “Kenny,” he signed his letters to him, and to his mom Belle, as “Richard.”
And not merely “Richard,” but to Belle as “your son Richard,” and to Ken as “YOUR BROTHER THE GREAT BEAUTIFUL SMART ALL AROUND NICE GUY and a GREAT KID, RICHARD DRAGOON … Signed, Richard Dragoon.” That was from Fall 1971, when he would have been thirteen.
It sounds like Dick was shedding his little-kid-ness and youngest-brother-ness and starting to assemble an adult persona. To my ear what shows through in the letters’…