Richard J. “Dick” Karr 1917-1988

KARR HAMSTRA

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 7/8/2011 at 00:00:32

Merrill, Iowa--- Richard J. “Dick” Karr, 71, of Merrill died Tuesday, Sept 20, 1988 in a Sioux City hospital of an apparent heart attack.

Services will be 3:30 p.m. Friday in Christy Morningside Funeral Home in Sioux City. Dr. Robert E. Peters of Community Presbyterian Church at Lawton and the Rev. Robert L Grupp of LeMars Presbyterian Church will officiate.

Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery with military graveside rites conducted by Post 125 American Legion of Merrill. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today with the family present from 7-9 p.m. in the funeral home.

Mr. Karr was born June 15, 1917 in Sioux City. He attended Sioux City schools and lived in the Sioux City area all his life. He married Berdenna Zwart Hamstra June 1, 1985, in LeMars Presbyterian Church. He retired two years ago as a bus driver for the Sioux City School System. Formerly he was a truck driver for Cargil Co. and had owned and operated a drive-in-restaurant.
Mr. Karr was a member of AARP, Moose Lodge 752, Sergeant Bluff and American Legion Post 125 of Merrill. He had been a member of the American Legion for 42 years. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

Survivors include his wife; four stepsons, John Hamstra of California; Charles Hamstra of Clovis, California and Jerry and Terry Hamstra, both of LeMars; two stepdaughters, Anna Mae Weicht of Colfax and Juanita Toel of Norwood, Colo.; 10 step-grandchildren and nine step-great-grandchildren; four sisters, Mrs. Kenneth (Jana) Olson of Atwater, Minn., Mrs. Howard (Margaret) Upton of Bridgeport, California, Mrs. Howard (Gerry) Hamilton of Pittsburgh, Pa. and Mrs. Sylvester (Phylass) Guse of Austin, Minn., and a brother, Bill Rye of Sioux City.

He was preceded in death by his parents and fist wife, Lucille Karr.