RICHARDS, Clinton Winfield 1923-2015
RICHARDS, SLACK, WILLIAMS
Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 11/17/2015 at 11:11:21
Clinton "Clint" Richards
Birth: April 22, 1923
Death: November 15, 2015Service: Thursday, November 19, 2015
Grace United Methodist Church, FloydClinton "Clint" Richards, 92, of Charles City, Iowa, passed away Sunday, November 15, 2015 at Cedar Health in Charles City.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, November 19, 2015 at the Grace United Methodist Church in Floyd. Pastor Martha Bennett will officiate. Burial will be held at 2:30 p.m. at Oak Hill Cemetery in Nashua, following the lunch at the church.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 18, 2015 at Hauser Funeral Home and will continue an hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.
Clinton Winfield Richards, the son of Frank and Clara Richards, was born on April 22, 1923 at the home of his maternal grandfather, in DeForest, Wisconsin. He grew up during the Great Depression and came of age just as World War II broke out. Clint attended country grade school and then Nashua High School, where he graduated in 1940.
He started dating Elizabeth "Betty" Richards while in high school. Once it became clear that Clinton was going off to war, they eloped and were married on September 29, 1942 in St. Charles, Missouri. Clint enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in August, 1942 and was called to serve in March of 1943. Clint was shot down on his final mission and served as a POW in a German prison camp for the final nine months of the war. He received the Purple Heart and the Air Medal among other awards for service.
Clint and Betty farmed while raising their family from 1946 to 1961. While farming, Clint worked as a Soil Conservationist with the U.S. Soil Conservation Service out of New Hampton from 1951 to 1954. In 1959, Clint and Betty purchased the John Deere dealership in New Hampton, beginning a long business career. They built the Town & Country Plaza on the east side of Osage in 1966. In 1974, they bought the Chrysler Garage in Waverly.
They also had a hand in starting other businesses with partners, including two manufacturing companies; C&O tire store, Don's tractor repair shop, Sleep Inn, a convenience store, and several restaurants in Iowa, and hardware and lumber store. Clint served his community by creating employment through his businesses.
Clint was a member of the VFW, Floyd Lions, American Legion, Ex-POW, and Grace United Methodist Church in Floyd. As he and Betty were blessed with success, they gave back to their community in many ways, often quietly. They provided school scholarships and support to several of their family members and other community members in need. One of their more public gifts is the support of a program that teaches 2nd graders in the Nashua-Plainfield School District to swim at the Charles City YMCA. They started this program in 1979 and have been funding it ever since. Clint lived by the ex-POW motto "We exist to help others", with his family and community.
Living family members include his four children: Marlys Richards of Salt Lake City, Utah, Darlene (Russel) Troyer of Floyd, Nancy (Royce) Stephens of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Keith (Julia) Richards of Fayetteville, Arkansas; 12 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren; two great-great grandsons; and a brother, Franklin Richards of Lewisville, Texas.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Betty Richards on March 2, 2013; and two sisters, Merna Slack and Geneva Williams
Source: Hauser Funeral Home website, 11/17/15
Floyd Obituaries maintained by LaVern Velau.
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