Richard (Dick) Karl Pollei

Born with an insatiable curiosity for the world around him which led to a lifetime of exploration and learning that didn’t stop until his passing.
Dick was born 26 March 1928 to Harry and Enid Pollei at the Sugarhouse home of his maternal grandparents. He was the oldest of five children. Ralf (deceased), Bonnie (deceased), Jon (deceased), and Marianne. Dick attended schools in the Salt Lake School District including Irving JHS where he played the trombone in the school band. During the summer before high school, Dick took an aircraft engine mechanics course. At West HS he learned welding and joined the ROTC rifle team being named the outstanding officer for the 1945-45 year before graduating in 1946.
Dick joined the Boy Scouts in the spring of 1940. The first meeting was a knot tying contest which he won. The next summer he attended summer camp at Camp Steiner. This was the start of his life-long love for the camp high in the Uinta Mountains. (He went to over 30 summer camps at Steiner.) He advanced through scouting, earning the rank of Star. In high school, he joined the Sea Scouts and learned to sail on the Great Salt Lake. In 1947, he and good friend, Bob Goodson, circumnavigated the entire Great Salt Lake, sleeping in the boat at night.
Dick’s first job at age 12 was digging dandelions on the grounds of the U. of U. for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, earning $1 a day. He also worked at the oil refinery construction site, made deliveries on his bike for Bradshaw auto parts, delivered ice for the Tooele ice company, did ironwork with his family including the Veterans’ Hospital and the construction on the first chairlift at Brighton.
While working at Brighton, he met Beverly Florence who worked for her father at the Alpine Rose Lodge. Dick and Beverly were married in the Logan Temple in 1950.
Dick was drafted in 1951 and served in the Korean War as an aerial artillery observer flying over the battlefield. He was awarded the Air Medal, five oak leaf clusters for 100 missions, Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars, and the United Nations service medal.
Upon returning home in 1953, Dick enlisted in the army reserve for five years and continued his studies at the U. of U. During that time, he worked for an aerial photo lab which required him to have top secret FBI background clearance. He graduated in 1955 with a BA in anthropology and a minor in psychology.
During the summer of 1955, Dick prospected for uranium in the desert west of the Great Salt Lake, enrolled in flying lessons, and received his pilot’s license.
Dick did ornamental metal work before starting work for Otto Buehner & Sons Precast Concrete Company on their erection crew. Soon he was promoted to superintendent then joined the sales department as the structural division sales manager. He loved helping architects, engineers, and business owners design with precast concrete and lecturing engineering students at the University of Utah and BYU. He retired at the age of 70.
From 1967 to the day he died, Dick was involved with the Boy Scouts. He served as scoutmaster twice, on the district training staff, zone commissioner, course director for the district (33 years), and troop committee chairman. He attended summer camps, jamborals, Klondike Derbies, and taught boys to build igloos for winter camps year after year. He also received the Silver Beehive and Silver Beaver in recognition of his service and leadership in the Boy Scouts of America. When The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints discontinued its partnership with the BSA, Dick approached the neighborhood Lutheran Church to organize a troop for the boys that wanted to continue in scouting.
Dick and Beverly traveled extensively through the western states, including Alaska and Hawaii. They also visited many eastern states. They cruised the Caribbean, the Panama Canal twice, and the South Pacific. They also did a driving tour through the Alps twice.
Dick took the family rafting on the Snake, Green, and Colorado Rivers and many mountain bike trips, including several on the White Rim trail.
Dick organized many family outings to the west desert for geode hunting, target shooting, and gun safety for all the grandchildren.
Dick was a devoted and faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many callings his entire life. His motto was to give his time and talents to serve the Lord and those in need. He felt that as long as he was serving, the Lord would extend his life. He was released from his last callings just weeks before his passing.
Dick cared for Beverly with tender devotion the last two years of her life. She passed away in 2015. Dick is survived by daughter Becky (Richard) Hansen, son Steve (Becky) Pollei, and daughter Peggy (Larry) Hanson. Daughter Kerry passed away in 2014. He is also survived by 14 grandchildren and 41 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 5, 2022 at 11:00 am at the Olympus 1st Ward, 4100 Camille Street, SLC, Utah. Viewings will be held Friday, March 4, 2022 from 6:00-8:00 pm and again from 9:30-10:45 am Saturday before the service all at the same location. Interment will be at Memorial Holladay Cemetery.
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Service Information
Viewing March 4, 2022 at 6:00-8:00 PM
4100 South Camille Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84124





Viewing March 5, 2022 at 9:30-10:45 AM
4100 South Camille Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84124





Funeral Service
March 5, 2022 at 11:00 AM
4100 South Camille Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84124