Richard "Dick" A. Woodington Sr.

Richard A. "Dick" Woodington, Sr.

Memorial services for Richard A. Woodington, Sr. were conducted Oct. 18, 2003, at the Southern Baptist Church in Lusk, with Rev. Larry Bartlett officiating. Cremation has taken place and burial will be in the National Cemetery in Sturgis, S.D.

Dick died Oct. 5, 2003 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Minneapolis, Minn.

He was born April 20, 1935, in New Orleans, La. to Ralph A. and Dora B. Woodington. The family moved to Lakeland, Fla., where he spent his childhood years. Dick entered the US Marine Corps in 1953, and was honorably discharged On April 1961.

After his return from Japan and Korea, he settled in Florida, and went into the tire retread business with the Firestone Company. He met Bobbe Kauffman and they were married Oct. 31, 1962. While they were visiting her brother in San Antonia, Texas, Bobbe gave birth to their son, Richard, Jr. on Aug. 17, 1964.

Dick was transferred to Little Rock, Ark. to head the Firestone Retread Plant. While in Little Rock, a daughter Stefanie was born Aug. 14, 1965.

After losing their home in a fire, Dick moved his family to Denver, Colo., where he went to work for Gates Rubber. He later became plant manager at Uniroyal.

After leaving the tire business, Dick worked for FEMA, where he received honors and awards for his cooking skills. He also worked in appliance repair and refrigeration.

After 27 years in Denver, Dick went to work at the radar site, south of Manville. A year later he moved his wife to Manville.

The couple later gained custody of their grandchildren and moved to a ranch on Kirtley Road, where they raised Shetland ponies.

He was an amateur photographer and sold several of his photographs. He was also an avid fisherman. He was happiest when with his grandchildren Samantha and Tim.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister.

Survivors include his wife Bobbe of Lusk; son Richard Jr. of Lusk; daughter Stefanie Cruz and her husband Antonio of Denver; four grandchildren, Eli Correa of Denver, Samantha, Tim and Taj Woodington of Lusk; two sisters, Zena Stratton of Lakeland, Fla., and Joan of Holiday, Fla.; and a brother Harold.

In lieu of flowers, a trust for his grandchildren Samantha and Tim has been set up at the Lusk State Bank.

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