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Dick began a 29-year career in fire service, first with the Tempe Fire Department as a firefighter, then a paramedic, captain, training officer, and battalion chief. In 1995 he joined the newly formed Gilbert Fire Department as their first assistant fire chief. He participated in the 1985 and 1987 World Police & Fire Games, earning gold medals in Men’s Senior Pole Vault.

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Dick would say his favorite roles in life were being a believer in Christ, a dad, a husband, and a grandpa. He was also a pole vault coach, a board member and the building committee head for Valley Christian High School. With his background in architecture, he helped design fire stations and a training center, as well as designing and building his family’s house in Gilbert. He wrote songs, playing guitar and singing for friends and family, weddings, church ministry, and prison ministry. After retirement he enjoyed making stained glass windows, building ceramics, and writing stories about his life experiences. Early retirement due to Parkinson’s allowed him to pursue these interests as well as participating in short-term mission trips to help build churches in Romania, Bulgaria, and the Philippines. 

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When friend and fellow firefighter Ed Gaicki lost his life in a fire in 1980, Dick wrote “Eddie’s Song” to sing and play at his memorial service. Feeling overwhelmed with anxiety about his ability to perform in such an emotional setting, he said a prayer despite referring to himself as an atheist: “I can’t DO this, God. If you exist, help me please!” He immediately felt a surge of peace and power that he recognized as his answer to that prayer. After that, his life changed dramatically as he came to know and receive the free gift of salvation from Jesus. 

 

Next came an outpouring of lyrics and music from the Holy Spirit, which he used to write new songs; he sang and played guitar for new audiences from that time forward. He wrote about this and other experiences in his book, The Silver Chord: Stories from the Heart of a Firefighter. Three weeks after 9/11/2001, Dick wrote in the Gilbert Fire Department Dispatch, “If your soul was required of you this day, would you be ready?” He went on to quote Jesus in his favorite verse (John 14:6): “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

 

Dick is survived by his wife of 53 years, DeeDee, sister-in-law Gail Rambo, brother-in-law Glenn Lumpkin, his adult children Pamela (Michael) Golafshar of Oregon, Jesse (Alexis), and Ryan of Gilbert, grandchildren Darius, Lacey, Kian, and step-grandchildren Addi, Owen, and Luke, as well as nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Jack and Evelyn Rambo, brother Jack Jr., and sister Barbara Rambo-Sprinzl.