Richard (Dick) Whyte Henry

Richard (Dick) Whyte Henry, 88, passed away Sunday, December 27, 2020 after a long battle with cancer at his home surrounded by his family. A Visitation, with some of the family present, will be held Tuesday, January 5, 2021 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic masks and social distancing are required at the visitation. A private service and burial at Oakwood Cemetery in Pleasant Hill will be held later.

Dick was born November 8, 1932 in Ackley, Iowa to Gilbert L. Henry and Ethel E. (Whyte) Henry.

Dick attended school in Nevada, Iowa and graduated from Nevada High School in 1951. After high school he attended both Drake University and Iowa State University.

In August 1954 Dick married the love of his life Betty L. Sarsfield in Nevada, IA. Together they had three sons, Wayne, David, and Alan.

He started his career in construction and home building in the mid-1950s at Darrel Thompson Construction. He was involved in the construction and early ownership of Plaza Lanes Bowling Alley.

Dick formed his own home building company, Hawkeye Homes, in 1959. Along with the able assistance of Don McGillvray, they put in several sub-divisions, built homes, apartments, a strip mall, and a tire store in the Des Moines area, primarily in Pleasant Hill and around the state (Ft. Madison, Centerville, Belmond) and surrounding states (Minnesota, North Dakota, Illinois) until 1979.

Dick built a mini-storage and car wash in 1979 and ran it and a U-Haul dealership until his retirement in 2001. For a short time, he was in business with Mike Myers in various projects around Pleasant Hill.

Outside of running his businesses and their many projects Dick was active in several organizations including but not limited to: Masons, Za-Ga-Zig Shrine Tux Brigade, Elks, Sertoma, Pleasant Hill Little League, organizing the Pleasant Hill Summerfest for a few years and serving in his church in various capacities.

Dick served on The Calvin Community Board as a Director and as the President of the Board. He served as Chairman of Calvin’s Land Committee that developed the new Calvin Square Townhouses, Apartments and Mercy One Clinic located West of the main Calvin campus.

Dick served in many adult capacities for Cub Scout Pack 98, Boy Scout Troop 55 and the Sunrise District of the Mid-Iowa Council, Boy Scouts of America. His service to Scouts earned him the Silver Beaver Award, the highest honor the Scouts have for adult members.

Dick was an avid fan and supporter of both the Men’s and Women’s basketball teams at Drake University. He has held season tickets for the men since the early 60’s and for the women since the 1990s. In 1969 he and his wife Betty followed the men to the NCAA final four in Louisville, Kentucky where Drake finished 3rd in the nation.

Dick and Betty sponsored the Hawkeye Homes and ADW Hawks Men’s Fastpitch softball teams for several years. The ADW Hawks sported several players and coaches that eventually were inducted into the Des Moines Fast Pitch Softball Hall of Fame. The Hawks won many area, city, and district tournaments throughout Iowa over the years. This led to Dick also being inducted into the Des Moines Fast Pitch Hall of Fame in 2014.

Dick enjoyed the many numerous trips he and Betty took. But most of all he absolutely loved taking his entire family on a cruise for his and Betty’s 50th wedding anniversary.

Dick is survived by his wife, Betty, his three sons, Wayne, David (Sherri) and Alan (Peggy), 4 grandsons, Cole (Katie), Brandon (JayLynn), Austin (Jordyn) and Cody, 1 granddaughter, Amber (Aaron) Becker, 4 great-grandchildren, Treyce, Kashtyn, Eleanor and Raylan and 4 step-great-grandchildren, DJ, Tobey, Orianna and Kevin. He is also survived by 2 sisters, Norma (Vernon) Poehlein and Jan Wray. As well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his in-laws Art and Ena (Lane) Sarsfield, his sister Shirley Eckhardt and her husband Ed and brother-in-law Wally Wray.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff of UnityPoint Hospice at Home for their care and compassion for Dick and the family in his final weeks.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family to be distributed per Dick’s wishes to Drake University Basketball and UnityPoint Hospice Foundation.

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