Richard "Dick" Saunders

  Richard “Dick” Saunders was born on May 13, 1934, on his family farm southwest of Manilla, Iowa, to Harry and Clara (Asmus) Saunders. The youngest of three children, he grew up alongside his older brother, Edward, and sister, Kathy.

  Dick graduated from Manilla High School in 1952 and immediately began farming. On September 25, 1955, he married Sylvia Lohrmann at Trinity Lutheran Church in Manilla. They welcomed their son, Robert “Bob” Saunders, in 1956. Together, Dick and Sylvia farmed southwest of Manilla until moving to their new home in town in 1998.

  A lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Dick served on the church council for many years. He had a passion for working with machinery, a skill he honed from a young age. An excellent welder and problem-solver, he dedicated his life to farming, raising fat cattle and pigs while also cultivating row crops, hay, and oats.

  Outside of farming, Dick enjoyed fishing trips to Canada with family and friends, as well as pheasant hunting with his son, Bob, and brother-in-law, Doane Hakes. He could often be found driving around in his beloved blue Chevy truck, taking in the land he knew so well.

  Dick passed away at Gracewell Nursing Home in Denison on Thursday, January 30, 2025, having attained the age of 90 years, eight months and 17 days. In addition to his parents, Harry and Clara Saunders, Dick was preceded in death by his wife, Syliva Saunders; brother, Edward Saunders; and brother-in-law, Doane Hakes. 

  He leaves behind his son, Bob (Lisa); three grandsons: Brett (Jessica), Scott (Morgan), and Tom (Nikki); eight great grandchildren: Jozlyn, Oliver, Illene, Millie, Clara, William, Ellie, and Maeve; sister, Kathy Hakes, and many nieces and nephews.

  Visitation with family greeting friends will be on Thursday, February 6, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. with the Funeral Service to begin at 11:00 a.m., all at Trinity Lutheran Church in Manilla. The burial will take place in the Nishnabotna Cemetery outside Manilla. Memorials may be direct to the Trinity Lutheran Church in Manilla in Dick’s name.