Donald R. Richards

Donald R. Richards, 82, of Mason City, died Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. Funeral services will be held 10:30 AM Friday, April 16, 2010, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 213 N. Pennsylvania Avenue with Pastor Dan Gerrietts officiating. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. Thursday (April 15, 2010) at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Memorials may be directed to the Donald R. Richards memorial fund in care of the family. Don was born October 5, 1927 in Garner, Iowa the son of Ray and Irene (Reeves) Richards. He was raised in Garner and graduated from Garner High School in 1945. He enlisted in the Army and served his country during Korean War until his honorable discharge. He was married to Judith Ullestad in El Paso, TX in 1950 and to this union three children were born. After coming to Mason City, Don worked for Coca Cola for a short period of time before going to work for the U.S. Postal service in Mason City, where he was a mail carrier for 38 years until his retirement on December 30th, 1995. Don enjoyed fishing and hunting in his earlier years, gardening, helping in the kitchen, putting together puzzles and visiting his favorite restaurant, Wendys. Don loved spending time with is family and friends, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and he will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him. He was a long-time member of Trinity Lutheran Church.
Don is survived by his wife of 59 years, Judith Richards of Mason City; children, Donald L. Richards and wife Margaret of Mason City, Mona Scholl and husband Chuck of Mason City, and John Richards and wife Laurie of Mason City; grandchildren, Kyle Richards, Erin Richards, Johnathan Morrison, Todd Morrison and wife Elizabeth, Nicole Scholl, and Morgan and Taylor Richards; great-grandchildren, Cahlen Richards, and Malayna and Vivian Morrison; half-brother, Gaylord Algers of Ankeny, IA and many sister-in-laws, and nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents.