Rev. Richard B. Emery

EMERY, WILMORE, HUENEMANN, VANSAUN

Posted By: Cindy (email)
Date: 11/4/2008 at 21:36:51

Rev. Richard B. Emery, 86, Oelwein, Iowa, died Thursday morning, October 18, 2007, at the Oelwein Health Care Center, after a lengthy illness.

As per requested, he donated his body for medical research to the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City. A private family memorial service is planned at a later date. Arrangements were by Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home of Oelwein.

Survivors include his wife Elizabeth "Betty" Emery of Oelwein; two daughters and son-in-law, Elizabeth "Bettie" and James III Wilmore of Iowa, and Debra Emery and Joel Huenemann of Wisconsin; two sons and daughters-in-law, Richard and Becci Emery of Minnesota, and John and Ruth Emery of Lawler; eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant daughter Judith; four brothers and one sister.

He was born on February 6, 1921, at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the son of Howard Burton and Nellie Frances Emery. He received his degree from Temple University at Philadelphia and then graduated from the University of Dubuque Seminary. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the Army Air Corps. He was a pilot and flew B-26 planes, earning the rank of 1st Lt.

He married Elizabeth Jane VanSaun on March 19, 1944, at Bethlehem Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia.

He was a longtime Presbyterian minister serving churches in Clinton and Deepwater and the state of Iowa. He served the Presbyterian Church in Oelwein for 21 years and was named Pastor Emeritus of Christ United Presbyterian Church in Oelwein.

He also was a former chaplain for the Ross Reid American Legion Post 9 of Oelwein.