Richard H. Shalla 1930-2007

GETMAN, SHALLA

Posted By: michael (email)
Date: 6/25/2007 at 09:56:17

Funeral services for Richard “Dick” Shalla will be on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 at 10:00am at Lensing Funeral Home & Cremation Services-605 Kirkwood Ave. Iowa City, IA. Friends may call on Monday from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown, IA.

Richard Shalla died peacefully on Thursday, June 21, 2007 at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshaltown, Iowa after a yearlong trial with dementia. Funeral Service will be held 10:00AM Tuesday June 26 at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, 605 Kirkwood Ave. in Iowa City. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City. Visitation will be Monday from 5:00 to 7:00PM at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown, Iowa. Richard Harry Shalla was born 7/1/1930, the oldest of three children, to Ernest and Irene (Getman) Shalla. He was later joined by sisters, Joan Lee (Shalla) McCreedy and Mary Lou (Shalla) Wilson. Richard grew up during the depression and World War II era surrounded by many family members, including both sets of grandparents and a number of aunts and uncles. He helped his father who served as sexton of Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City and also while working various odd jobs in the Iowa City community. Richard graduated from Iowa City High School in 1947 and entered the University of Iowa. He took classes for a year, excelling in Mathematics. He left school to go to work and in 1953 joined the US Army. He was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. He received an honorable discharge in 1955 and returned to Iowa City. After returning from the service Richard began work at the Iowa City Pipeline, filling large tanker trucks. During this time, he and his father also worked for Donahue-Lensing Funeral Home tending to gravesites in country cemeteries in Johnson County. In 1964, he decided on a job change and started working for Contractors Tool and Supply. Richard retired as an Assistant Manager in 1988. Richard never married. He remained devotedly at home with his parents, taking care of both of them until his mother Irene passed away in 1982 of Alzheimer’s and his father Ernest in 1988 of dementia and a stroke. He is also preceded in death by his sisters; Joan, who was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1980 and Mary Lou, who died of cancer in 2002 and her husband, Richard’s brother-in-law David Wilson who died in 2003. Richard is survived by one brother-in-law; Bill McCreedy of Iowa City, one cousin; Clayton (Faye) Shalla, of Iowa City, three nieces: Cindy (Craig) Kiene of Downy, Sarah Smith of Tennessee, and Shalla Wilson of Iowa City and three nephews: John (Deb) McCreedy of San Diego, CA, David (Cindy) and Joe (Annie) McCreedy both of Iowa City, and dear friends Phyllis and Rick Ruppert. His family spent many Sundays with friends eating delicious dinners, playing cards, and boating on the Iowa River, which were some of his happiest memories. Richard was always a very quiet kind man with an infectious laugh whose greatest joy was tending to the outdoors, wildlife, and the river.

On-line condolences may be directed to www.lensingfuneral.com