Richard Henson

RICHARD HENSON

North English

Richard Waldo Henson, 66, of North English, died at his home on Friday, July 21, 2017. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 25, at Powell Funeral Home in North English. Pastor Luke Caster will officiate. Visitation will be Monday, July 24, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial with military rites will be in North English Cemetery.

A memorial fund has been established for the English Valleys Veterans Memorial in North English.

Richard Waldo Henson was born Sept. 6, 1950, in Sigourney, Iowa, the son of Waldo B. and Minnie M. Batterson Henson. He moved with his parents and sister from Hayesville to North English, where he graduated from English Valleys High School in 1968. Dick entered the workforce, working at Landmark Truck Stop until being drafted into the Army in January 1970. He was deployed to Vietnam, where he was assigned to the First Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Wolfhound Division. Dick was united in marriage to Ruth A. Grimm on March 18, 1972, at the Community Church, rural Deep River. They made their home in North English.

Dick worked for 34 years for the Iowa County Secondary Road Department until his retirement in 2008. He was currently serving in his fifth term as mayor of North English. Dick had served many years on the city council, as a board member at Knoll Ridge Country Club, the CITA Fire Board, and Emergency 911 Board. He was a 38-year member of the North English Fire Department and was a weather spotter. Dick was an Iowa County Veterans Affairs board member and a member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He also was a member of the Wolfhounds Association and served as its secretary. He and Ruth attended most of their reunions across the country. Dick also was a longtime member and officer in the KIOWA and Iowa Ducks Unlimited organizations.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth of North English; three daughters, Tami (Wendell) Marsh of North English, Tara (Steve) Heyne of North English and Trisha (Dan) Schwarzkopf of Cedar Rapids; and four grandchildren, Hannah and Elijah Marsh and Olivia and Gage Heyne. Also surviving are his mother-in-law, Yvonne Grimm of Williamsburg; brothers-in-law, Ross Knipfer of North English, Kenny (Sheryl) Grimm of Cantril, Stanley (Debbie) Grimm of Newton, Billie (Kathie) Grimm of Wayland and Mo (Karla) Grimm of Gilbert, Ariz.; sisters-in-law, Jeannie (David) Fetzer of Williamsburg, Rebecca (Don) Hadenfeldt of Williamsburg and Beth (Keith) Levan of St. Ansgar; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Carol Knipfer.