Richard "Dick" Irwin Tibbits

Our loving brother, uncle and cousin, Richard Irwin Tibbits, age 84, passed away June 2, 2016, at the Shepherd of the Valley Care Center in Casper, WY.

Richard was born to Chester Irwin and Alma Alice (Cline) Tibbits on April 23, 1932, in Otto, Wyoming. Richard's nickname was Dick Tibbits which he used throughout his life. Dick lived with his parents and sister in Lusk, WY until he was 10 when he moved to Cheyenne and then Rawlins. When Dick was 13, he returned to Lusk to live with his Uncle Ansel, Aunt Clara and cousin Evelyn Tibbits. Dick completed grade school and high school in Lusk graduating from Lusk High School in 1950. After graduation, Dick worked for the Ranger Hotel and the J.C. Penney store in Lusk.

Dick entered the Army in 1952. While in the Army, he attended language school to learn Mandarin and was assigned as a Chinese interpreter and interrogator in Korea. For his service, Dick received the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. Dick was also a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

After discharge from the Army in 1954, Dick attended Chadron State College graduating in 1959, earning one of the last BA in Education degrees offered by the school. He was a member of the Blue Key Honor Fraternity, secretary of the Sigma Lou Gamma Men's Social Fraternity, and president of Sigma Delta Nu.

After obtaining his college degree, Dick worked for Chadron State College from 1959 until 1982, holding a variety of administrative positions including Director of Field Relations and Coordinator for the Campus Center. He then moved to Sutherland, Nebraska, where, for 12 years, he was the librarian for grades 1-12 in the Sutherland School District. Dick had a wonderful rapport with his students and loved being a teacher. Dick retired in 1995 and subsequently moved to Casper to be near his sister Alma and his extended family.

Dick loved celebrating holidays and selecting special gifts for each of his family members. He was an excellent gardener and also loved reading as well as collecting stamps, small vintage cars and coins.

Survivors include his sister and brother-in-law Alma and Robert Howell; half-brother, Ron Tibbits; nieces Linda Cozart and Barbara Lindsay; cousins Evelyn Perry and her family, Audrey Hillhouse, and Bill Tibbits and his family. He was preceded in death by his parents, his aunt and uncle, a niece and a nephew.

A Military Honors Service will be held at 2:00 PM, Thursday, June 16, 2016, at the Oregon Trail State Veteran's Cemetery in Evansville, WY, where his ashes will be interred.

In lieu of flowers, Dick asked that donations be made to the Natrona County Library, the Disabled American Veterans, or the Casper Humane Society. Newcomer Funeral Home in Casper, WY, has been entrusted with arrangements.

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