Pierce County Councilmember Dick Muri first took office on Nov. 19, 2003 as representative of District 6, which now serves Lakewood, Steilacoom, DuPont, Parkland, Joint Base Lewis McChord, and the island communities of Anderson, McNeil, and Ketron.
Muri serves as Executive Pro-Tem on the Rules and Operations Committee and is past chair of the Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Health. During his years on the Pierce County Council, he has served on a number of standing committees including Economic and Infrastructure Development, Emergency Preparedness, Performance Audit, Public Safety and Human Services, and Community Development. He is a current board member of OptumHealth.
Dick Muri was born Nov. 30, 1953 in Fairbanks, Alaska. He graduated the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1975 with a Bachelor's of Science in Environmental Health, and holds a Master's of Public Administration from Golden Gate University (1988).
A retired Air Force Lt. Colonel with 22 years military experience, Muri flew the C-141 as a Navigator and served in the Gulf War from 1990 to 1991 as Deputy Commander of the 628th Military Airlift Support Squadron at Incirlik Airbase, Turkey. From 1992 to 1997, Muri was Chief of Quality Management for McChord AFB, directing a program that won numerous awards for excellence from the United States Air Force and Washington State.
Muri received the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce John H. Anderson Military Citizen of the Year Award for 1996 and was inducted into the Fort Lewis Civilian Hall of Fame in a ceremony at Fort Lewis in January 2006.
Lt. Gen. Edward Soriano, who retired as Fort Lewis and I Corps Commander, said in a letter to Muri that the Hall of Fame was created to 'permanently recognize and thank those who have done the most to support our soldiers and their families. Your years of dedicated service and support of Fort Lewis make you an outstanding choice and have earned our heartfelt thanks.'
Muri has been happily married since 1979 to Mary Muri (formerly Burns - Lakes HS '75) and has four children, Jennifer, Jonathan, Sarah, and Bradley. Dick and Mary now have four grandchildren, Makenna Mae and Garrison Kelpman, and Sterling and Boone Officer.
A 31-year resident and active Steilacoom community leader, Muri is past president of the Steilacoom Kiwanis Club - a community partner with the 42nd Military Police Brigade at Fort Lewis; a former member of the Steilacoom Historical School District #1 Board of Directors; was co-founder and director of the Steilacoom Lakewood Youth Wrestling Association and was honored as Washington State District 3 Middle School Wrestling Coach of the Year in 2002.
Muri is active in many local Veterans organizations.
