Richard Wayne Beecher ^{2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11}

   FamilySearch ID: L61R-P8D.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1930 in Grant Twp., Tama, IA. ¹² The 1930 census recorded Merrill Beecher, 39, living with wife Albina, 32; Wesley, 8; Claire, 7; and Richard, 2. Everyone was born in Iowa except Merrill in Pennsylvania.

2. Census in 1940 in Grant Twp., Tama, IA. ¹³ The 1940 census recorded Merrill E. Beecher, 49, living with wife Albina S., 42; Wesley M., truck driver, 18; Claire L., 17; and Richard, 12. Everyone was born in Iowa except Merrill in Pennsylvania.

3. Military from 1 Jun 1945 to 5 Aug 1946 in Chicago, Cook, IL: U.S. Navy, MM3/c, Serial No: 3227053.

4. Census in 1950 in Traer, Tama, IA. ¹⁴ The 1950 census recorded at 1 Woodlawn Street in Traer: Merrill Beecher, depot agent for railroad, 59, living with wife Albina, school cook, 52; son Richard, car salesman, 22; and mother-in-law Bessie Chizek, 77 whose name is crossed out. Merrill was born in Pennsylvania, Bessie in Czechoslovakia, and Albina and Richard in Iowa.

5. Newspaper: The Gazette: Marriage Announcement: Novotny - Beecher, 16 Apr 1950, Cedar Rapids, Linn, IA. ¹⁵ TRAER Mr. and Mrs. Louis Novotny of near Traer announce the approaching marriage of their daughter, Charlotte, to Richard W. Beecher, son of Mr. and Mrs. M. E. Beecher of Traer. The wedding will take place May 8.

6. Newspaper: The Courier: Traer Men Purchase Store At Jefferson, 1 Feb 1953, Waterloo, Black Hawk, IA. ¹⁶ TRAER MEN PURCHASE STORE AT JEFFERSON
TRAER -- Wesley and Richard Beecher, sons of Mr. and Mrs. M. E. Beecher, Traer, have purchased a Western Auto Supply store in Jefferson, la., which they will operate in partnership. They will receive possession in the near future. Wesley Beecher formerly operated the Dairy Bar in Traer in partnership with Leonard Mix. In recent months he has been employed as a salesman for the Coast-to-Coast store here. Richard Beecher has been farming with his father-in-law south of Traer the past year.

7. Residence: on 26 Oct 1973 in Traer, Tama, IA. ¹⁰

8. Newspaper: The Courier: Beecher 25th Wedding Anniversary (photo), 7 May 1975, Waterloo, Black Hawk, IA. ² (photo)
TRAER - Mr. and Mrs. Richard Beecher will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary Saturday at the Traer Golf and Country Club. Hosts for the courtesy will be their children, David, Mark, Penny Lynn and Jill. Charlotte Novotny and Mr. Beecher were married May 8, 1950, at St. Boniface Church in Garwin. They have one grandson. Mr. Beecher is employed as a rural mail carrier.

9. Newspaper: The Courier: Beecher 40th Anniversary, 23 Apr 1990, Waterloo, Black Hawk, IA. ⁴ TRAER - Richard and Charlotte Beecher of 520 Toledo St., will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary with their family and friends Saturday at the Traer Golf and Country Club.
The event will be hosted by their children and spouses. Their children are Dr. David Beecher of Vinton, Mark Beecher of West Des Moines, Penelope Stoakes of Bettendorf, and Jill Ewing. There are 12 grandchildren.
Mr. Beecher and Charlotte Novotny were married May 8, 1950 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Garwin.
Mr. Beecher retired Dec. 31 as a rural letter carrier for the Post Office. The couple requests no gifts.

10. Residence: on 19 Jul 1996 in Traer, Tama, IA. ⁹

11. Residence: on 10 Sep 2006 in Traer, Tama, IA. ⁷

12. Obituary: The Courier: obituary of Richard Wayne Beecher on 16 Dec 2018 in Waterloo, Black Hawk, IA. ³ TRAER - Richard Wayne Beecher, 90, of Traer, died Monday, Dec. 10, at Sunrise Hill Care Center.

He was born March 19, 1928, son of Merrill and Albina Beecher. He married Charlotte Novotny on May 8, 1950, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Garwin.

He graduated from high school in Dinsdale and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He attended college at Upper Iowa University and then transferred to Iowa State as an engineering student. Richard was a U.S. rural mail carrier. He served on the Tama County Conservation Board and oversaw the building and development of the Otter Creek Lake and Park.

Survived by: two sons, David (Gail), and their four sons and their four children, and Mark (Lori), and their four sons and their 10 children; two daughters, Penny Stoakes and her son, and Jill Ewing, and her three daughters, one son and their seven children.

Preceded in death by: his parents; two brothers, Wesley and Claire; his wife; his grandsons, John William Beecher and Jesse Richard Stoakes; and his son-in-law, David E. Stoakes.

Memorial services: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22, at Overton Funeral Home Traer, with Naval honors immediately following the service at the funeral home. A private family burial will take place following services at Amity Cemetery. Rich requested that his body be cremated and no other visitation be held. Following the service there will be a time of fellowship at the Traer Golf and Country Club.

Memorials: to the Tama County Conservation Board for Otter Creek Lake and Park, 228 Park Road, Toledo 52342, or another charity of your choice.

Condolences may be left at ww.overtonfuneralhomes.com.

Richard married Charlotte Helen Novotny, daughter of Louis Fred Novotny and Emma B. Kaliney, on 8 May 1950 in Garwin: St. Boniface Catholic Church, Tama, IA.^{1 2 3 4} (Charlotte Helen Novotny was born on 9 Aug 1931 in Toledo, Tama, IA,^{17 18 19} died on 19 Oct 1994 in Waterloo, Black Hawk, IA ^{1 17 19} and was buried in Reinbeck: Grant Twp. Cemetery, Tama, IA ^{17 19}.)

Richard next married Mary Jean Kopriva on 7 Jan 1997 in Galena, Jo Daviess, IL. (Mary Jean Kopriva was born on 28 Nov 1932 in Carroll Twp., Tama, IA.)