ROBERT M. RICHARDS, 84

(veteran)

Robert M. Richards, 84, of Blair, died Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2006, at Good Shepherd Home in Blair.

Funeral services are 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at First Baptist Church in Blair, with interment in the Blair Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 1, at Campbell-Amen Funeral Home, with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m.

Robert M. “Bob” Richards was born June 10, 1922, in Auburn to John and Minie Richards. He was a 1939 graduate of Auburn High School, where he was selected to Boys State and to the Nebraska State Band where he was first chair trumpet.

He attended Peru State College. As a freshman, he lettered and played on the National Championship team at Peru State for the division; it was the only time Peru State achieved the honor.

He enlisted in the Army Air Force. After attending flight training school, he was prepared to be shipped out to Europe but in a twist of fate, he was commissioned to the Navy, where he was trained in communications and served on P.T. boats, predominately in the Pacific.

After the war, he enrolled in the University of Nebraska, where he earned his business degree.

In 1948, he moved to Omaha and worked for the Omaha World-Herald in their sales and advertising department. In 1950, he moved to Davenport, Iowa, to work for the Westinghouse Corp. in their sales and promotion division. While in Davenport, he met and married Betty Jean Schnoor in April of 1951.

With the birth of their first child, he embarked on a different career. He became an insurance agent with Hardware Mutual Insurance Company in Omaha. In 1958, he took a job with the International Insurance Company Commercial Union out of England, and was promoted to branch manager of their Omaha division. In 1962, he took a job with the Home Insurance Company in their Omaha office.

He moved to Blair in 1960. In 1971, he bought the Dixon Insurance Agency, which he later changed to the Richards Agency. It was also in this year he married his second wife, Joan Grothoff. In 1985, Mr. Richards sold the agency to the Hansen Agency to give him and his wife more time to travel and boat, which they were able to do extensively until her death in 1988.

During his retirement he served as chairman of the legislative committee, where he promoted the passage of legislative bills for the community and State of Nebraska, and was involved in several civic activities, such as Blair Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Independent Insurance Agents of Nebraska and was a 50-year member of the Masonic Lodge.

He enjoyed playing golf, boating, water-skiing, camping and riding his bicycle with his companion, Benji, having logged approximately 40,000 miles on his bike.

He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Sue Richards of Blair; one granddaughter and her spouse; and one great-granddaughter.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Leoborne; wives, Betty and Joan; and a daughter, Sandi.

Memorials are suggested to the Nebraska Christian College.

# 2 - from the Omaha World-herald, November 30, 2006

RICHARDS - - Robert “Bob”, age 84, of Blair. Survived by son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Sue Richards, Blair, Nebraska; granddaughter, Heather, Mrs. John Dennis and great-granddaughter, Devan Dennis.

Services 10:30 AM Saturday, First Baptist Church, Blair, Nebraska. Burial in the Blair Cemetery. Visitation will begin 10 AM Friday with family receiving friends from 6 to 8 PM at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to Nebraska Christian College.

CAMPBELL-AMAN FUNERAL HOME, Blair, NE 402-426-2191