Richard Craig Dujay

With immense pride and deep sorrow, we will celebrate the life of Richard Craig Dujay on December 12. Rick was a wonderful husband to Robin Dujay for 39 years or, as Rick would say in his ever-optimistic way, beginning our 40th year together. 

Using a story that Rick’s mother loved to share, Rick, his brother David (Sheila) Dujay, and his sister Renee (Lloyd) Smith were all born in the same room and bed at Methodist Hospital in Houston (albeit it at different times, of course). He graduated from Clear Lake HS in 1975, where he played football (running back as a freshman and found his niche on defense as a linebacker in his junior and senior year), and was awarded the Falcon Spirit Award his senior year, as voted by his coaches. He was a fun-loving guy who developed deep relationships and remained in touch with people he met over the years. While in high school, he worked in seafood restaurants along the gulf shore and developed his skills as a great cook. Rick’s hobbies were hunting and fishing, skills he learned from his father and grandfather and later shared with his sons and grandson. He respected the laws, the animals and the bounty they provided for his family. 

He got married after graduation, and delighted in being a father to his sons, first Richard Keith and then Kenneth Russell. To support his young family, Rick joined the Houston Fire Department at the age of 18, first as a firefighter, then became a paramedic and later joined the Hazardous Materials Response Team. He would share stories about the people he helped, babies he delivered, incidents the team responded to, as well as starting IV’s in the back of a moving ambulance as they traveled from the incident site to the hospital. 

After his divorce and during his Haz Mat days, he met Robin, who had recently moved to Houston. They dated for a year and married in 1985, remaining devoted to each other from that point forward. Shortly after they married, he was injured during a Haz Mat incident, and this injury eventually led to a new adventure; moving to Fort Collins, Colorado so Rick could attend Colorado State University, graduating with his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees, and then his PhD in Zoology in 1998.

After graduating from CSU, he accepted a teaching position at then Mesa State College, where he taught for 16 years. He started the Electron Microscopy Lab, with donations from many labs and businesses around Colorado and taught Anatomy & Physiology, Electron Microscopy, Zoology, and Biology. He particularly enjoyed his time as the Science Coordinator for the Western Investigations Team, working on the Alferd Packer cannibal tale and other Colorado mysteries.

After his retirement from Colorado Mesa University, he helped Robin start American Bison Insurance in Grand Junction, CO, passing the insurance exam on his first attempt, (of course). In his retirement he enjoyed watching the animals from his home on Kannah Creek and recalling past adventures.

Rick loved learning. Over the years, he earned a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, was a Deputy Constable in Montgomery County, Texas, a certified scuba diver, a member of the Masonic Lodge, and a certified NRA Instructor. Even more than he enjoyed learning, he loved teaching. He took the students on field trips to the Denver Zoo to watch the animal’s behaviors and have them come to his home to view animal tracks and habitats instead of just using a textbook. When they came to his home, he would often cook up a big pot of chili and serve it on his deck enjoying their time together. He had a wonderful sense of humor and never complained when things became tough or challenging. He would look for the next opportunity and head in that direction.

In addition to his wife, Rick leaves 2 sons, Kenneth (Letty) Dujay and Keith (Jessica) Dujay, both of Spring, Texas; five grandchildren, Josiah Dujay, Hannah (Hayden) Waldschmidt, Sarah Dujay, Elijah Tyler Ivory, and Brandon Dujay, and one great grandson, all of Texas, and his dogs, General Sherman and Captain Cruzan.