Richard Eardley papers

Richard Eardley was born December 23, 1928 in Denver, Colorado. He moved to Baker City, Oregon with his family at eight years old and graduated from Baker High School in 1947. While in high school Eardley played sports and wrote for the school newspaper. He spent a year at Eastern Oregon College of Education before leaving to move to California for a construction job for a short time. Upon returning to Baker City, he worked as a journalist at the Baker Democrat-Herald, a weekly publication, and as the news director for the KBKR radio station. In 1950 he married his wife Patricia, they had three sons, Rick, Randy, and Ron. In 1955 the family moved to Boise, Idaho where Eardley worked as a reporter for the Idaho Daily Statesman from 1955-1958, and then as the news and sports director for KBOI from 1958-1974.

In 1969 Eardley was elected to the Boise City Council and served four years until 1973 when he was elected mayor. He served three terms as Boise Mayor from 1974-1986, one of only two mayors to have served for three terms. During his tenure as mayor he oversaw the construction of the current Boise City Hall, worked to revitalize the North End Neighborhood, and helped create the Boise Arts Commission, World Center for Birds of Prey, Morrison Center, and Boise Greenbelt. Richard Eardley passed away June 30, 2012 in Boise, Idaho.