Richard Eugene Rhine, 73, of Denison passed away on Nov. 16, 2015, after a long battle with cancer in Mesa, Arizona.
Richard was born on April 16, 1942, on a farm northeast of Prescott, to Harvey and Ruth Rhine. One of three children, Richard has an older sister, Jan, and a younger brother, David. In 1959, he married his wife of 56 years, Judy Pfundheller of Kent, and together they raised four children.
Richard spent much of his youth working on his father’s farm and being active in 4-H. Richard and Judy briefly settled in Corning, while he worked for Smith Concrete Products. Ultimately, the family moved to Denison, where Richard spent 33 years working for UPS before retiring in 1998. They attended the United Methodist Church of Denison where Richard was active as a trustee and helped with many projects over the years. One of Richard’s favorite accomplishments was helping to coordinate and build “Kids’ Kastle” in Denison. Richard also was a member of the Denison Optimists and Crawford County Garden Club for many years.
Upon retiring, Richard and Judy traveled to Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Alaska and, their favorites, Australia and New Zealand. They also spent time traveling around the country to see their children and grandchildren before settling in Mesa, Arizona, for the winter months. It was there that they met all of the nice people whose time they so much enjoy.
Never one to be still, Richard enjoyed woodworking, hiking, biking, playing cards, dancing and gardening. He was especially proud of his cactus garden in Mesa and was known for playing jokes on his friends. His craftsmanship was also utilized in the many home projects that he assisted with for his children and grandchildren.
Visitation was held 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 22 at Huebner Funeral Home, 1437 Broadway, in Denison. Funeral services were held 10:30 a.m. Nov. 23 at First United Methodist Church in Denison with burial in Crawford Heights Memory Garden.
Richard is preceded in death by his daughter Traci and his parents, Harvey and Ruth. He is survived by his wife Judy; daughter Kelly and husband Nino; son Todd and wife Lisa; daughter Staci and husband Joe; grandchildren, Allison, Zachary, Paige, Colin and Ethan; sister Jan and husband Ralph; and brother David and wife Tammy.
The family would also like to acknowledge the care provided to Richard by his oncologist, Dr. Jue Wang, and everyone who provided him with comfort throughout his illness. For that, we will be forever grateful.