Richard E. Gage

Dick Gage, 85, passed away on April 6, 2010. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, April 25, at 3 PM at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines.

Dick was born on February 21, 1925 in Greeley, Iowa and graduated from Manchester High School. Dick was a decathlon winner in Track and Field during his senior year in High School. He served in the Army Air Corp in New Guinea during WWII and then graduated from UNI and Drake University. Sixty years after graduation, he authored his high school yearbook, as his high school was unable to produce a yearbook due to the paper shortage during WWII. He worked and retired from the Iowa State Education Department. In 1966 he attended a 9-week educational seminar in India and was pleased to meet Ghandi’s daughter, Indira. Dick co-authored an educational handbook for the State of Iowa, and was a ghost speech writer for Governor’s Ray and Branstad. As a volunteer, Dick taught reading through the Drake University Adult Literacy Program. He was also the co-owner of Thackeray’s bookstore which was located in Clive, Iowa. Dick traced his maternal genealogy back to the Mayflower, and was a member of the Mayflower Society. He enjoyed coin collecting, antiquing, yard work and play, football (the Green Bay Packers and Iowa Hawkeyes), basketball (the Drake Bulldogs), board games, watching western movies and shows, and listening to his short wave radio (DX’ing). Dick loved people and was a consummate jokester. He very much loved and enjoyed his family and especially enjoyed “Grandpa Afternoons” every week, when his grandson, Matthew, would visit him.

Remaining to cherish his memories and his sense of humor, are his wife, Lorna; son, Jim (Kristin); daughter, Sarah Bouma; sisters, Bette and Audrey; sisters-in-law, Maxine and Elaine (Clyde); four grandsons, Ken, Jacob and Joe Bouma and Matthew Gage; step-granddaughter, Samantha DeWitt; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Hospice of Central Iowa (Kavanagh House on 56th Street) 401 Railroad Place, West Des Moines, IA 50265 or to the Johnny and Romie Orr Memory Center, c/o Dr. Robert Bender, 1300 50th Street, West Des Moines, IA 50266.

Condolences may be made at:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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