Richard Bernhardt

Richard Leland Bernhardt was born October 22, 1926, in Massena, Iowa, to Alma (Richards) and Reinholdt Bernhardt.

Rich grew up on the family farm south of Massena, attended Victoria Township Country School, and graduated from Massena High School in 1945. Two weeks after graduation, he was in Army Boot Camp, having been drafted two months before graduation to serve in World War II, but was never sent abroad. He was sent to the hospital for an infection that kept him from being on the crew of the Hiroshima atomic bomb cleanup. After his time in the Army, he helped his father farm.

On September 4, 1949, Richard married Marilyn Mae Dory. They had three children: Sheryl, Vickie and Terry. In 1952, Richard and Marilyn bought and moved to a farm south of Anita, where they resided for almost 40 years. In addition to farming, Richard owned Bernhardt Construction and did carpentry work for almost 50 years. Richard was a Boy Scout Leader. In 1989, Richard and Marilyn moved to Atlantic. One of the highlights of his life was being in the Veterans Honor Flight in 2010.

In 2013, they moved to Kansas City, Missouri. Richard was active where they lived at the McCrite Retirement Plaza at Briarcliff, Kansas City, and sang in the choir, most recently for their Veterans Day program earlier in the month.

Richard was an avid Ham Radio operator for years. He loved his family, church, traveling, camping, and meeting new friends. His favorite quote was, "A stranger is a friend you have not met yet." Richard and Marilyn were members of the Calvary Baptist Church in Walnut, IA.

Richard entered into eternal life on November 26, 2014, surrounded by family and friends, at the age of 88 years.

Richard is survived by his wife of 65 years, Marilyn, of Kansas City, MO; two daughters, Sheryl L. Huffman of Algona, IA, Vickie and her husband, Jim Richmond of Paradise, California, and one son, Terry R. Bernhardt and his wife, Kimberly, of Kansas City, MO; 6 grandchildren, Mindy DeBolt of Bode, IA, Marcy Davis of West Des Moines, IA, Charlie Gipple and wife Noelle of Grimes, IA, Chad and wife Kari Gipple of Bondurant, IA, Ethan and Emma Haynes of Kansas City, MO; 6 great-grandchildren, Eric DeBolt, Tyler Elder, Brayton and Brody Gipple, Seth and Matthew Gipple. Richard is also survived by his brother, Robert W. Bernhardt, residing in Corning Nursing Home, Corning, IA.

Visitation with family will be from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 2, 2014, at Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, December 3, 2014, also at Hockenberry Funeral Home in Atlantic with burial in the Atlantic Cemetery with full military graveside rites by the Anita American Legion. A reception will follow the burial in the community room at Hockenberry Funeral Home.