Richard D. (Dick) Henderson

Richard D. (Dick) Henderson

Iowa City

Richard D. (Dick) Henderson, 92, died peacefully at home on May 10, 2024.

A memorial gathering is planned for Sunday May 19, 2024 from 3:00 – 5:00 PM at The Kirkwood Room. His body will be cremated as he wished.

Richard was born in Iowa City on June 12, 1931 to Harvey and Stella (Driscoll) Henderson, the third of five children. He grew up in Coralville and Iowa City, and at 17 enlisted in the U.S. Air Force (then Army Air Corps), serving from 1948-1952, most of that in Japan before and during the Korean War. There he met and married his first wife, Rokuko, and they later divorced.

Richard worked in Iowa City at Moore Business Forms and later for the U.S. Postal Service, both in Garden Grove, CA and Iowa City, from which he retired in 1990. He married Colleen (Costolo) Ahmad in 1988. After many years of being snowbirds in Arizona, they moved to Melrose Meadows in 2018. Richard died at home there under the care of his wife and of Iowa City Hospice. The Hospice staff will always be remembered for their kindness and care.

Richard is survived by his wife Colleen, his sisters-in-law Shirley Henderson, Marti Hendricks, Milly Swenka, and Terri (Hal) Larson, and brother-in-law Larry Costolo. Also, by nieces and nephews LeaAnn (Jim) Thompson, John (Abby) Henderson, Jay (Kristy) Henderson, Don Henderson Jr., Pam Boesenberg, Jeff (Christal) Henderson, Denny (Katha) Carter and Debbie Carter. And by nieces and nephews Kim (Jim) Ruepke, Laurie (Mike) Hunter, Dave (Sandy) Wetzel, Dawn (Doug) Cole, Jim (Michelle) Costolo, Megan (Robert) Pruszynski, Heather (Dale) Snipes, Grace (Yale Cohn) Hendricks, Shelley (Eric) Jacobus, Lisa Costolo, Tracy Costolo, Ben Swenka, Chad (Amanda Hammond) Swenka, Scott Larson, and by numerous great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his stepson Tim Ahmad, and by his brothers J. Eugene Henderson, Bob Henderson (and wife Dorothy), Don Henderson, his sister Eleanor (and husband Nick) Carter, his parents-in-law Bill and Irene Costolo, his brothers-in-law Bob, Jim and Steve Costolo and Ron Hendricks, and by his nieces Patti Gilson and Jan Carter and his nephew Jim Carter.

Richard (known to most as Dick) was an avid trout fisherman. He especially loved camping in Yellow River Forest with dear friends Howard and Lucy Amish and often Don and Shirley too. He was a poker player, playing often with his friends at Superstition Sunrise RV park in Arizona and later at Melrose Meadows. He will be remembered for his hearty laugh and his generous disposition. He was loved.

Memorial donations may be made to the Red Cross, who helped his mother so much when his brother died in WWII, or to Iowa City Hospice.

Online condolences may be shared with his family at www.lensingfuneral.com.