Richard “Rick” Provost (2014)

EASTER, PROVOST

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart - Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/1/2014 at 10:42:26

Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, November 26, 2014

DR. RICHARD PROVOST, Creston, Iowa

Dr. Richard “Rick” Provost died Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, at Greater Regional Hospice Home in Creston.

Celebration of Life Services will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, Nov. 28, at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Creston, with Masonic services at 9:45 a.m. Mary O’Riley will officiate. Burial will be at Graceland Cemetery in Creston. Military rites will be by the U.S. Navy Honor Guard. Family will receive friends from 10-11:00 a.m. service time on Friday at First Christian Church in Creston. Memorials are to the First Christian Church.

Dr. Richard “Rick” Provost was the first child in his family to be born in a hospital on Oct. 19, 1927, in Holyoke, Mass., to Marietta and Leo Provost. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in November 1944 where he served as a Corpsman. Rick took care of wounded Marines from Iwo Jima, Okinawa and survivors of the Bataan Death March. After World War II, he attended Holyoke Community College and subsequently transferred to Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where he received his B.A. degree. Rick was called back into the U.S. Navy Medical Corps during the Korean War. After 16 months he was returned to Reserve Status and sent home as a civilian.

He worked for a few years then married his wife, Marilyn “Lynn” Easter, on Sept. 12, 1954, in Winterset, and continued his education, ultimately earning his doctorate degree. Rick was the first person to graduate from Holyoke Community College and go on to receive a doctorate degree. He taught sociology and psychology at Texas A&M, Northern Illinois, East Texas State, Kearney State, and Southwestern Community College. During retirement Rick enjoyed many hobbies including jewelry making, oil painting, hunting, fishing, leather making, wood carving, coin collecting and genealogy. Rick authored several books on his family genealogy. He was also a Mason.

Rick is survived by his wife, Lynn Provost of Creston; two sons, Kevin (Jill) Provost, Jeff (Teresa) Provost; five grandchildren, Megan, Mackenzie, Kali, Emily and Nate Provost; and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, six siblings, and one granddaughter, Valkyrie.