With sorrow we mark the passing of Richard Monroe Cross II (Dick), who died Sept. 14, 2024, at his home in Estes Park CO. He was born Nov. 9, 1956, to Richard and Lois Cross, approximately eight months after his father's death in a car accident. In 1959 the family moved from Wilson KS to Boulder CO, where he attended elementary and junior high school. He completed high school in Kalispell MT, where he had moved with his mother and stepfather.<br><br>He went on to earn a degree in accounting from Whitworth College in Spokane WA.<br><br>He began his highly successful career as a computer programmer for companies in the Denver metro area and eventually formed his own consulting firm as an Oracle software specialist. He traveled widely for various clients, most notably in Raleigh NC and Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. After retiring early, he spent his time between his two homes in Boulder and Estes Park. He volunteered for many years at the Estes Park Museum as well as other organizations and most recently at a used bookstore in Estes.<br><br>He was a voracious reader and amassed a collection of more than 1,000 books, many on historical topics. He was a "tech addict" who collected every new gadget on the market and figured out how to use them. In his earlier years he loved to hike and for several decades reveled in the mountain atmosphere of the Estes Park Valley as a homeowner there.<br><br>He is survived by his sister Richelle Force (Dave) of Westminster CO, sister Kristin Karakehian (George) of Boulder and brother Gregory (Marie) of Mesquite NV as well as nieces Jessica, Katie, Natalya and Stevie, nephew Jed and their children.<br><br>A private memorial service for family and friends will be held at the Karakehians' home in Boulder on Nov. 9.<br><div><br></div>