Richard “Dick” Mollerup passed away peacefully in Boise, ID with his wife and daughters by his side on February 1, 2026.

Dick was born in Caldwell, ID on August 30, 1948, to John and Betty Mollerup, the fourth and final child of his family. His childhood was equal parts civilized and wild west: shooting ground squirrels on horseback with his .22 rifle and Sunday dinners at home complete with cloth napkins adorned with sterling silver napkin rings. He learned work ethic and how to hustle from his oldest brother Tom, kindness from his sister Bonnie, his sense of humor from his brother Chuck, generosity from his mother, and how to not to drive a car from his father JT. Dick and Chuck, only 13 months apart in age, were inseparable their entire lives. Often mistaken for twins, they rafted, fished, golfed, and played ultra-low stakes poker with the same friends for five decades. After his passing, Dick was cremated with one of the group’s custom poker chips in his pocket, fulfilling a pact the friends made years ago.

Dick did not excel in academics at first - certainly not from a lack of intelligence, but rather from a lack of direction. While at ISU, he excelled at Frat Party 101 and shooting pool. He ultimately walked away from ISU with his last semester there only 2 weeks from completion. After a few years of bouncing around and hustling, he landed a job at a Lawyer’s Title Company as a title examiner. Unbeknownst to Dick, this was the start of a relationship with the man who would go on to become his mentor and biggest fan, David Anderson. Dave fired and rehired Dick three times, telling him he had never met someone who had so much potential, who also frustrated him so much. Dick credited him not only as a mentor, but also as the man who saved his life - all because he gave him a chance (again and again) and always believed in his potential.

The most important phase in Dick’s life began in 1978 when he met Janet Edmunds. The serendipitous meeting happened at Lock Stock and Barrel restaurant on a previously unremarkable evening after work. Janet was boisterous, gregarious and extraverted. Dick was instantly smitten. That night, after talking at the bar until close, they talked into the wee hours, continuing the conversation in Janet’s car. He drove home well after 3 o’clock in the morning, went into Chuck’s bedroom (as they were living together at the time), shook him awake and said, “I found her.” They married at the tiny chapel on the BSU campus on April 19, 1980, and laughed, danced, and adventured through over 45 years of marriage. Even after his mind and memory began to fade, he would always seek Janet out, making sure she was close by, never seeming to forget that she was his person.

Dick and Janet had two children - Audrey in 1982 and Erin in 1984. His daughters were the lights of his life, bringing him tremendous joy and happiness (and the occasional frustration). Forever outnumbered by females in his little family, he would frequently describe himself as “a thorn among the roses.” Dick raised his daughters to be kind, resourceful, independent, and to take on life’s challenges with humility and with a sense of humor. For a pool-shooting rascal from Caldwell, Dick proved himself the OG girl dad – the perfect father for his two strong-willed daughters.

Despite success in title insurance, Dick left his job with Lawyer’s Title in 1989 to pursue a career as an attorney. Although in retrospect this proved to be a wise and successful decision, at the time it was a very courageous gamble. With the support of his wife and family, he enrolled at Boise State University, completing his undergraduate requirements in only a year, taking nearly 20 credits per semester, all while working full time. As an alternative student, it was often an uphill battle. Despite external skepticism, he excelled thoroughly in classes, earning straight A’s. One professor was initially opposed to having Dick take his calculus class because he had been out of school so long and was surprised when Dick turned out to be his best student. The last day of the semester this professor apologized to Dick in front of the whole class for his initial reaction and bowed to him as that was a customary act of respect in his native Japanese culture.

He matriculated at University of Idaho School of Law and spent the next three years buried in books, seeing his family only on weekends. He graduated Magna Cume Laude in 1993. After graduation, he was hired at Meuleman, Miller, and Cummings, a real estate law firm in Boise, Idaho. After only three years as an associate, he became a partner. In 2003, he was named principal partner, and the firm was renamed Meuleman Mollerup. He spent the remainder of his career there until his retirement in 2013, mentoring numerous associates and building strong friendships among his partners and clients. Dick approached the law, and life, with unwavering integrity, honesty, and forthrightness.

In his retirement, he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, traveling with his wife, playing golf, continuing his weekly lunch ritual with Erin, making regular visits to see Audrey, and taking long walks with his dog. Not one to ever enjoy the spotlight or praise for his accomplishments, he especially enjoyed fading into the background that often comes with retirement and just enjoying time with his people.

He was a loving husband; a dutiful and devoted father; a steadfast brother and son; a talented craftsman in woodwork; a competent boatman; a loyal and constant friend; a mentor; an incredibly intelligent and talented attorney; annoyingly good at cornhole, shuffleboard, pool, and darts; and a kind-hearted human. As his son-in-law, Andy, said, “He was the most ethical and principled man I have ever met.” Truly, he was one of a kind. While he will be so desperately missed by those who knew and loved him most, there is comfort in knowing he is no longer lost in the fog of dementia and can be at rest.

He is survived by his wife of over 45 years, Janet, his daughters Audrey (Andy) Mesher and Erin (Jason) Hudson, his grandchildren Evelyn, Jamie, and Maya, his sister Bonnie, his brother Chuck (Louann), his nieces and nephews, grand nieces and nephews, and countless friends. In lieu of flowers, we ask you instead to donate to the Alzheimer’s Association in his memory.

There will be a Celebration of Life for Dick on April 19th at the Barber Park event center in S.E. Boise at 2:00.