Dave Richards

Funeral services for Dave Richards, 87, Aberdeen, SD, are 10:00am, Monday, September 28, 2020, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, with Pastor Jeff Whillock officiating. Military honors will be provided by Sidney L. Smith American Legion Post 24. The service will be livestreamed on his obituary page on our website. Masks are highly recommended. Burial at Bowdle Cemetery, Bowdle, SD. Dave died Wednesday, September 23, at his home in Aberdeen. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Arrangements by Spitzer-Miller Funeral Home, 1111 South Main Street. Dave Richards was born January 1, 1933, in a railroad depot at Capa, SD. His mother was enroute to the hospital in Pierre, SD. He grew up on a farm in the Midland, SD, area and attended school there. He was in the U.S. Army from 1952 to 1954, and served in the Korean War. After being discharged he worked on various ranches in Philip, Midland, and Onida, SD. Dave married Linda Barth in Mobridge, SD, on June 10, 1967. He worked at Phillips 66 from 1967 until 1972. He then operated Richards Drayage. In March of 1974, he and his family moved to Jackson, WI, where he worked in Cedarburg at Pioneer Container. In 1976, they moved back to Selby, SD. Dave managed the Selby Equity Elevator until 1982. In 1982, they moved to Lodi, CA. There he worked for Goehring Meat Company. In 1992, he and his family moved back to Aberdeen where he was employed at Presentation College as Maintenance and Security. He retired in July of 2010. Dave was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and the American Legion. He loved to fish, garden, do crossword puzzles and read western books. He enjoyed watching westerns and going to rodeos. Dave was an avid fan of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. He was a proud poppa but also a very proud great-grandpa when great-grandson Brantley was born. He enjoyed family get togethers with grill outs and family game nights. He especially liked winning Roll Low. Grateful for having shared Dave’s life are his wife, Linda Richards, Aberdeen; daughters: Lori (Mark) Carpenter, Aberdeen, Sheila (Todd) Rudat, Edmond, OK, and Teri (Brian) Johnson, Aberdeen; granddaughters: Kayla (Adam Cady) Carpenter, Peyton Johnson and Delaney Johnson; grandsons: Lucas Carpenter, Matthew Carpenter, Nate Johnson, Tristan Rudat, Trevor Rudat, and Trey Rudat; great-grandson: Brantley Cady; sisters: Dorothy Stickler, Rapid City, SD, and Violet Vollmer, Albany, OR; brother: Jack Richards, Murdo, SD; sister-in-law: Betty Richards, Albuquerque, NM, and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding Dave in death are his parents: John and Maggie Richards; brothers: Billy Richards and James Frances Richards; sister: Rose Elrod and brothers-in-law: Harold ‘Bud’ Stickler, Danny Vollmer, and Simon Elrod.