Gerric "Rick" Dudley

Gerric “Rick” Dudley, age 79, passed away on June 15, 2023 in Bellingham, WA.

Rick was born in Evanston, IL on July 16, 1943 to parents Tilford and Martha (Ward) Dudley. He grew up in Washington, DC and earned his bachelor’s degree from Union College. Rick went on to pursue advanced engineering education at the University of Tübingen in Germany, but following an accident he was forced to return to the States and redirect his academic efforts to psychiatric social work. Rick earned his master’s degree in social work from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Unsure what to do after graduate school, Rick’s library research led him to Bellingham for its temperate climate, access to the great outdoors, and proximity to Canada during the Vietnam War.

Shortly after arriving in Bellingham, Rick took on responsibility for the Blue Canyon Foundation, a treatment facility for adults with disabilities and mental health needs. Through a combination of austerity, creativity, and perseverance, the Blue Canyon Foundation evolved into what is now Lake Whatcom Center, which provides residential and outpatient behavioral and mental health services to over 500 residents of Whatcom County.

Rick was CEO of Lake Whatcom Center from 1972 to 2014, and continued as a consultant for LWC until 2016. He spent his time living simply in a small rustic cabin, usually biking and walking for transportation (he could often be seen with yellow buckets on his bike), dancing for fun, and generally following issues regarding ethical questions and the state of the world. Rick lived lightly on the earth, hoping that, in doing so, some light might be left for others to enjoy. He founded The Dudley Foundation in 1990, providing charitable support to alleviate the roots of suffering, and served as its president until his passing.
Rick was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his sister Lass Dudley, his three sons Eric, Justin, and Forrest Dudley, along with their wives Amber Larsen and Heidi Dudley, and three grandchildren Charlotte, Landon, and Tucker. The survivorship of his sister, Doni Dudley, is unknown.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, August 25th at 11:00am at Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, 1207 Ellsworth Street, with reception following. In honor of Rick, we invite you to consider environmentally conscious means of transportation to the service if you wish. If you are unable to attend in person, the service will also be live streamed at https://zoom.us/j/738363620 (password: BUF)

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Brain Support Network at https://www.brainsupportnetwork.org/donate/ or your favorite charity.