Richard "Dick" Hart, 85, passed away at his home in Kennewick on July 18, 2014. Dick was born in Walla Walla, WA on November 3, 1928, the youngest child of Cyril and Beulah Hoagland Hart. He grew up on the family farm six miles northeast of Connell with his brother Frank and sister Nancy. Dick graduated from Connell High School in 1946 and then attended the University of Washington where he received a business degree in 1950. After graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Army, and soon met his future wife Patricia DeLateur. They were married in Hoquiam, WA on April 28, 1951. Upon completion of his military service in 1953, the young couple and their infant son Greg returned to Connell where he joined the family farming business. The couple welcomed their second son David in 1955. Richard's life was centered on his family and his community. He was instrumental in the building of the new St. Vincent Catholic Church in 1967. When the school operating levy failed in 1972, Dick helped spearhead the effort to raise funds to maintain the sports programs and other extra-curricular activities in the North Franklin School District. Richard was a driving force in the formation of the North Franklin Development Association, which was involved in the building of the Connell Community Center and the placement of the first correctional facility in Connell. Dick was actively involved in the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, Benton-Franklin Good Roads Association, Greater Connell Area Chamber of Commerce, Franklin County Planning Commission and Franklin County Conservation District Board. He dedicated many years of service to the Advisory Board of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and worked to help establish the Tri-City Cancer Center. Richard is survived by his sons Greg (Julie) and David (Casey) of Connell, grandsons Brian (Kelli) Hart of Seattle, Eric (Chafen) Hart of Dallas, TX, Preston (Nicole) Hart of West Richland and Jacob (Emily) Hart of Connell. Dick was blessed with nine great-grandchildren: Allison, Lucy, Harold, Dorothy, Kamailah, Kaleigh, Kynnlee, Ethan and Owen. Dick was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Patricia Hart, sister Nancy Hart Tyler, brother Frank Hart, granddaughter Emily Hart and second wife Jacqueline Wright Kranc Hart. A funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, July 24, 2014 at 10:00 am at St. Vincent Catholic Church in Connell. Interment will follow at Mt. View Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Tri-City Cancer Center, Lourdes Foundation or St. Vincent Altar Society.