Richard O’Grady

Richard Eugene O’Grady, 80, of Grand River died Sunday, July 15, 2018.

Funeral services were 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 19, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Grand River with the Rev. David Polich officiating. Burial was in Grand River Cemetery in Grand River. Visitation was held Wednesday evening at Slade-O’Donnell Funeral Home, 103 NE Mill St., in Leon. Memorials may be given to the Grand River Community Center.

Richard Eugene O’Grady, son of Stephen Eugene and Dorothy Elaine (Fletcher) O’Grady, was born Dec. 2, 1937, in Waterloo. When Dick was young, his family moved to a farm north of Grand River. He attended country school and graduated from Grand River High School in 1956. Upon graduating, he attended Drake University in Des Moines.

On July 25, 1958, Dick married Rosalie Harger in Des Moines. Following college graduation in 1960, he joined the United States Air Force and served 29 years. He completed Squadron Officer School in 1968, and IND College of Armed Forces in 1972. His military career included two tours in Vietnam and service on Okinawa Island. A few of his major assignments were commander of the 560th Flying Training Squadron in San Antonio, Texas, commandant of Squadron Officer School in Montgomery, Alabama, vice commander of Tech Training School in Biloxi, Mississippi, Chief of Standardization Evaluation in San Antonio, Texas, and he retired in 1989, as assistant deputy commander of operations at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. His awards of accommodation include Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star, Air Medal, Meritorius Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, AF Organization Excellence Award and others.

After military retirement, Dick worked for EG&G in Las Vegas, Nevada, flying Boeing 737s for 15 years. He and Rosalie spent several years between their home in Boulder City, Nevada, and the farm north of Grand River. In 2004, they built a house north of Grand River and made it their full time home.

Dick was an active member of St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Boulder City, Nevada, and St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Grand River. He served in the Grand River American Legion and was on the board of directors for the Grand River Community Center for five years.

Dick is survived by his wife Rosalie O’Grady; children, Steve (Lauralee) O’Grady and Kathy (Steve) Ralph; daughters-in-law, Cindy (George) Holmes and Kathryn O’Grady; grandchildren, Rowdy (Nicole) O’Grady, Michaela O’Grady, Julie (Patrick) Youells, Justin O’Grady, Gage and Savannah O’Grady and Megan and Rachael Watkins; great-grandson Hoyt Michael O’Grady; brother Jim (Karen) O’Grady; three nieces and nephews; other relatives and many friends.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Dorothy O’Grady, and sons, Douglas and Michael O’Grady.