September 26, 1950 – June 16, 2025
VISITATION
Sunday, June 22, 2025
1:00 – 2:00 P.M.
First United Methodist Church
Emmetsburg, Iowa
SERVICE
Sunday, June 22, 2025
2:00 P.M.
First United Methodist Church
Emmetsburg, Iowa
CLERGY
Pastor Judy DePue
INTERMENT
Monday, June 23, 2025
2:00 P.M.
Newell Cemetery
Newell, Iowa
Richard Lee Henrich, son of Glenn and Gladys (Rubel) Henrich, was born September 26, 1950 in Emmetsburg, Iowa. When Dick was very young, his mother passed away. Glenn later married Ethelyn Kischer and she was a loving and devoted mother to Dick.
Dick received his education, graduating from Emmetsburg High School. Dick was a lover of great music which led to the development of Saturday’s Children, a band that he and four other friends began. Dick was the drummer. Long after disbanding, if a Credence Clearwater Revival song or Van Morrison tune came on you could find Dick tapping his toe and “air drumming” along to the music.
On November 12, 1969 Dick was inducted into the United States Navy and served as a Medical Corpsman doing 18 months of duty in a hospital at Camp Lejeune and then on a ship caring for injured soldiers from Vietnam. He was honorably discharged on August 1973. After returning from the service Dick continued his education at Northwestern College in Orange City where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business. After completing college Dick began operating the family Rendering Works business which he did for many years, until his retirement.
On June 12, 1976 Dick was united in marriage to Cheryl Post at the First United Methodist Church in Emmetsburg. They were blessed with a daughter, Mindy. It was important to Dick that Mindy experience all types of activities that he loved. When she began driving, he made her learn to change a tire and check the oil before leaving. When learning to drive the boat, Dick made sure Mindy could identify which direction was port and which was starboard. She also had to execute the perfect knot to tie to a cleat. It was of utmost importance that she could cook a complete meal over a campfire, take first place at an archery shoot, snipe a clay pigeon out of the sky and take a fish off of a hook.
Dick loved outdoor activities with Cheryl and Mindy. They would go camping, and rafting during the summers. In the winters Dick and his family could be found ice skating or playing broom hockey on Five Island Lake or taking off on cross country skis. Dick was an avid hunter, fisherman, and a pro at archery. Through his love of archery, Dick designed and developed a stabilizer which was sold throughout the country. He had the opportunity to redesign the stabilizer so that it was used in the Olympics in the biathlon competition. Dick loved going to the Olympic training center and helping with shooting competitions. In 1996 he was rewarded by attending the Olympics in Atlanta.
Dick and Cheryl moved to Ellston, Iowa and had the joy of spending eight years at their Lake Home in Sun Valley, watching eagles, geese and other wildlife. Dick and Cheryl had the joy of celebrating their 40th Anniversary on a house boat in Voyager National Park.
Dick was proud to become a grandpa and was always willing to share stories of Emma and Max’s accomplishments, just as he had when Mindy was young. During Dick’s final days in the hospital he made Mindy promise she would teach Emma and Max everything he had taught her.
Dick was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Emmetsburg and served on the Planning Zoning Committee for the City of Emmetsburg. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, serving as Grand Master and also a former member of the Abu Bekr Shrine. Dick was a member of the V.F.W. Post #2295 in Emmetsburg as well as the American Legion Post in Ellston, Iowa.
Dick passed away Monday, June 16, 2025 at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, at the age of 74. He was preceded in death by his parents, Glenn, Gladys and Ethelyn Henrich; half siblings, Bob, Don, Kenny, Duane, Jack, and Ronnie Gruver; a step brother, Keith Kischer; and sisters-in-law, Barbara Kischer, Lavonne Gruver and Vivian Gruver
He is survived by his wife, Cheryl of Ellston, Iowa; his daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren, Mindy and Brad Richtsmeier and their children, Emma and Max of West Des Moines, Iowa; a sister, Shirley (Joe) Roberts of Ackley, Minnesota; half sister, Cleo Crawford of Mesa, Arizona; step brothers, Karl (Jan) Kischer of Milford, Iowa and Kent Kischer of Waterloo, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Jo Kischer, Eileen Gruver, Jean Gruver and Berta Gruver; many nieces and nephews; as well as other relatives and friends.
Arrangements by Martin-Mattice Funeral Home
martinmatticefuneralhome.com