Richard Darwin Olmstead
July 29, 1937 — December 4, 2009
Richard D. Olmstead, 72, of 295 27th Avenue S.W., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died Friday, December 4, 2009, in St. Luke’s Hospital, Cedar Rapids. Services: 10:30 a.m., Monday, December 7, 2009, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids, by the Rev. Ed Powers. Visitation: 5 to 8 p.m., Sunday, December 6, 2009, at the funeral home. Burial: Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Lou; daughters, Christine (Dan) Phebus of Aurora, Colorado and Bonnie (Robert) Alles of Cheyenne, Wyoming; grandchildren, Evan and Jamie Phebus and Kaylee and Jarod Alles; brother, Allan (Barb) Olmstead of Colorado; sisters, Vicki Murphy of Hiawatha and Kay Wente of Waterloo; step-mother, Eleanor Murphy of Mt. Vernon; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews; his dogs Patches and Lucky and his bird Fred.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents, Frank and Marjorie Bebber; and step father, Elmer Murphy.
Born July 29, 1937, in Cedar Rapids, Richard was the son of Darwin and Alice “Sally” Olmstead. In 1957, he graduated from Springville High School. On October 29, 1960, in Cedar Rapids, he was united in marriage to Betty Lou Bales. Richard was an inspector for the DOT for 6 ½ years and then retired after 35 years from the Cedar Rapids School District.
Richard was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church and the Wednesday Morning Coffee Club. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening, walking his dogs and visiting with neighbors. He was the SW side tomato champion and an avid Hawkeye and Rough Rider fan.
Memorials may be made in his memory to the Cedar Valley Humane Society, 7411 Mt. Vernon Road S.E., Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Lou; daughters, Christine (Dan) Phebus of Aurora, Colorado and Bonnie (Robert) Alles of Cheyenne, Wyoming; grandchildren, Evan and Jamie Phebus and Kaylee and Jarod Alles; brother, Allan (Barb) Olmstead of Colorado; sisters, Vicki Murphy of Hiawatha and Kay Wente of Waterloo; step-mother, Eleanor Murphy of Mt. Vernon; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews; his dogs Patches and Lucky and his bird Fred.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents, Frank and Marjorie Bebber; and step father, Elmer Murphy.
Born July 29, 1937, in Cedar Rapids, Richard was the son of Darwin and Alice “Sally” Olmstead. In 1957, he graduated from Springville High School. On October 29, 1960, in Cedar Rapids, he was united in marriage to Betty Lou Bales. Richard was an inspector for the DOT for 6 ½ years and then retired after 35 years from the Cedar Rapids School District.
Richard was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church and the Wednesday Morning Coffee Club. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening, walking his dogs and visiting with neighbors. He was the SW side tomato champion and an avid Hawkeye and Rough Rider fan.
Memorials may be made in his memory to the Cedar Valley Humane Society, 7411 Mt. Vernon Road S.E., Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Richard Darwin Olmstead, please visit our flower store.