Richard "Dick" King

Richard "Dick" King, 101 of Stewartville, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on September 22, 2024 surrounded by many family members at Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

Richard was born June 5th, 1923 near Hugo, Minnesota, as the youngest of five siblings to Henry and Albina King, and spent much of his younger years working on the small family farm and attending a rural one room school. When World War II broke out, he joined the Army Air Corps and eventually trained as a gunner on both B-17 and B-29 bombers, something he was very proud of and loved to talk about with fellow aviation lovers, and whoever would listen, for his entire life. Upon returning to Minnesota when the war ended, he spied a beautiful young red haired woman named Arlene Judkins in Stillwater one day, and told skeptical friends he would marry her. They were married in 1949 and started their family in a small house in White Bear Lake, MN.

Eventually Richard and Arlene and their 8 young children moved to Stewartville, Minnesota so he could manage a sales warehouse for Girard Steel in nearby Rochester. In 1973, he and three other partners formed a company to sell primarily sheet metal fabricating machinery called Gladwin Machinery, which has grown to become one of the largest in the industry. A devout Catholic, Richard attended St. Bernard’s church in Stewartville with his family, which eventually grew to 10 children. His legendary sense of humor and many “Richardisms” continued right up to the end.

He is preceded in death by his siblings Jeanne, Robert, Zoe, and Mary Ann, and his wife Arlene. Richard was proud of his ten children: Kris King , Cyndy Hudson , Randy King, Debbie Kelly, Nan (Matt) Warren, Brad King, Todd (Michelle) King, Jeff (Lauren) King , Kevin (Shelby) King , and Nathan King. He is also survived by 20 grand children and 27 great grand children.

A visitation will be held on Monday, Sept. 30 from 5-7 pm at O’Halloran & Murphy Funeral Home in Woodbury, and a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 AM on Tuesday Oct. 1 at St. Ambrose Church in Woodbury, with a visitation 1 hour prior. A burial will follow on Wednesday, Oct. 2nd at 1pm at St. Bernard Cemetery in Stewartville. Arrangements are with O'Halloran and Murphy Funeral and Cremation Services - Woodbury / 8700 Valley Creek Rd. / Woodbury,MN 55125

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