Dick, Fred Eugene (1927-1961)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1961 Mar 9 p. 6

Birth date: 1927 Mar 7

text of obituary:

— Funeral services for Fred E. Dick, 34, well-known Halstead building contractor, were held Friday afternoon at the First Mennonite Church there, Rev. Roland R. Goering and Rev. G. G. Yoder officiating. Mr. Dick died Feb. 26 in St. Joseph Hospital, Denver, where he had undergone heart surgery the day before. A native of the Buhler community, he had lived at Halstead the past eight years and had erected a number of buildings there, including the new Halstead State Bank. Surviving are his widow, Lillian, and two children, Russell Dean and LuAnn Renee of the home; his mother, Mrs. Frank Dick of Burrton; three brothers and four sisters.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1961 Mar 16 p. 8

text of obituary:

FRED E. DICK

Fred Eugene Dick, son of Frank and Helen (Ratzlaff) Dick, was born on March 7, 1927 at Buhler, Kansas. He received his elementary education in the rural schools of the Burrton community and high school training was received in Burrton and Partridge.

On May 11, 1952 he was baptized upon the profession of his faith by Rev. Abe H. Peters and received into the membership of the Burrton Mennonite Church. On June 12, 1960 his membership was transferred to the First Mennonite Church of Halstead, having established his home in Halstead prior to this time.

On August 3, 1952 he was united in marriage to Lillian Fern Epp by Rev. Albert Gaeddert of the Hoffnungsau Mennonite Church. to this union two children, one son and one daughter were born. After their marriage the couple made their home in Burrton for one years, after which they moved to Halstead where they maintained their residence up to the time of his death.

Mr. Dick was a building contractor by trade. His growing business extended from the vicinity of Halstead to other cities in Kansas and even, at times, to other states. The wide area of his labors won for him a large circle of friends, all of whom gained a deep respect for him and his workmanship. He was also highly regarded and greatly appreciated by the workmen who worked under him. The many structures erected under his supervision remain a symbols of his precise, well planned, creative life.

For the past several years he suffered from a weakened and defective heart, which the physicians now believe resulted from rheumatic fever with which he must have been stricken some time in childhood. This heart ailment often left him greatly fatigued, but with a great love for his work and an undaunted will he kept at his work up to the time of his death.

For several years he had known that the only possible help for his ailment would be to submit to heart surgery. To such surgery he submitted on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 1961 in the St. Joseph Hospital, Denver, Colo. From this surgery he never recovered, passing away at 5:40 p. m. the same day. He reached the age of 33 years, 11 months and 21 days.

He was preceded in death by his father, Frank, and a sister, Anna Mae.

He leaves to mourn his departure his devoted wife; his two children, Russell Dean, 6, and LuAnn Renee, aged two and one-half; his mother; three brothers, Clarence of Oroville, Calif., David of Burrton, and John of Halstead; four sisters, Clara, Mrs. Edward Scherling of St. Elmo, Ill. Minnie, Mrs. Eldo Stucky of Wichita, Laura, Mrs. Orville Bickel of Wichita, and Evelyn, Mrs. Alvin Dalke of Travis Air Base, Calif.; nieces and nephews, relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held March 3 in the First Mennonite Church of Halstead, with Rev. Roland R. Goering, pastor, officiating. Donald Franz sang “The Lord's Prayer” and “How Great Thou Art” with Mrs. Harvey Vogt as organist. Interment was in the Halstead cemetery.

The Mennonite obituary: 1961 Mar 21 p. 206