Richard C. Huntley

Richard C. Huntley, 87, of Kanawha passed away Friday, July 31, 2009 at the Kanawha Community Home in Kanawha.

Funeral services for Richard Huntley will be Wednesday, August 5, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at Kanawha Lutheran Church with Pastor Karen Rossing Grandall officiating. Inurnment will be at a later date.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 from 5:00 until 7:00 at Ewing Funeral Home in Kanawha and continue one hour prior to services at the church.

Richard, the son of Edward Burton and MaeBelle (Overbaugh) Huntley, was born July 21, 1922 in Renwick. Richard was very active in sports and plays while attending school in Renwick. He was also one of eleven survivors of a fatal crash between a Renwick School bus and a train while on a field trip to Mason City. He graduated from Renwick High School with the class of 1940.

Richard was united in marriage with Lavonne Thorson on October 8, 1942 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, to this union four children were born, Mary, Charles, Robert and Charlene. The couple made their home and farmed southwest of Kanawha. They continued to live on the farm until 1985 when they moved into Kanawha.

For many winters Richard worked at Erickson Manufacturing near Holmes making and setting up hog confinement buildings.    Richard helped Donavon Baker with his farming for 20 years until ill health prevented him from doing so. Following his retirement, Richard continued doing woodworking and helping other people with their “honey do” lists.

Richard loved life, family, gardening, bowling, woodworking and horseshoes. Richard was baptized at the United Methodist Church in Clarion on April 25, 1943 and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church south of Kanawha on October 10, 1948. He had been a resident of the Kanawha Community Home for three years following a stroke.

Richard is survived by his wife Lavonne; three children: Mary Zeigler of Kanawha, Charles (Susan) Huntley of Dubuque, Char (Tom) Ryan of Bend Oregon; seven grandchildren: Sherry Waner of Des Moines, Debra (Rick) Cooper of Lewiston, Idaho, Lisa (Mark) Book of Walhalla, South Carolina, Kathy (Rod) Brannan of Ankeny, Richard (Cheree) Zeigler of Great Falls, Montana, David (Stacy) Huntley of Bozeman, Montana, McKenzi (Alvaro) Ruiz of Pioneer, California; 17 great-grandchildren: Ashley (Alex) Otero, Nathan Waner, Whitney Waner (Alex Brock), Derek and Kyle Cooper, Devan and Sydney Book, LaRae, Taylor and Jackson Brannan, Colin and Jacob Zeigler, Anthony, Christopher and Adan Ruiz, Oliver and Annabelle Huntley; 3 great-great grandchildren: Isabella and Olivia Otero and Aiden Brock; brother Oliver Huntley of Mesa, Arizona; sister-in-law Lois Huntley of Tuscan, Arizona, and many nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Edward and MaeBelle; son Robert; three brothers: Burton, Marion, John; two sisters: Becky and Louise; and son-in-law Wayne Zeigler.