Richard E. Reutzel, 66, passed on to pheasant heaven on May 1, 2013, at his home in Ovid, Colo.
Born in Grant on Aug 3, 1946, he was the son of Roy W. and Doris P. Reutzel. Richard attended the Madrid and Grant schools and worked hard to receive his GED later in life as well as graduating with an associate’s degree from Northeastern Junior College shortly thereafter. He served in the U.S. Army and worked for Sara Lee for 30 years. Richard married Peggy Ziegler on April 7, 1968, and they shared a daughter.
His many hobbies included watching his grandchildren’s activities, hunting, fishing, going to auctions and yard sales, as well as stock car racing, driving his own car for several years. Richard was also active in the Ovid Lion’s Club for many years and served as the Treasurer on the Ovid Fire Department’s rural board.
Richard was preceded in death by his grandfather, Bill Reutzel; his father, Roy W. Reutzel; three step-fathers; a brother-in-law, Harold Irwin; in-laws, Clarence and Marie Ziegler, and a niece and nephew.
Survivors include his wife, Peggy; a daughter and son-in-law, Richelle and Andy Schneider, of Ovid; two grandchildren Brooke and Hunter; his mother, Doris Edwards, of Ogallala; his father-in-law, Lee (Sylvia) Palmer, of Renton, Wash., his sister-in-law, Bonnie Lyons of Tukwilla, Wash.; his sisters Bess (Bill) England, Nila Irwin, of Lincoln, Bonnie (Eldon) Kokes, of Grand Island, Jody (Bill) Reutzel, of Ogallala, and Sue (Roy) Reutzel, of Paxton; along with numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m., (MDT), Monday, May 6, at the Austin Tennant Funeral Home in Julesburg, Colo. with Pastor Art Roth officiating. Burial will follow the services at the Ovid Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Ovid Volunteer Fire Department or the Ovid Lions Club.