Richard "Dick" F Utesch

Graveside Services for Richard F. "Dick" Utesch will be held on Monday, January 12, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. at Fort McPherson National Cemetery at Maxwell, Nebraska with Pastor Dale Hedstrom officiating. Military honors will be provided by the North Platte American Legion Post #163 in conjunction with the U.S. Army Military Honors Team.

Richard Frederick "Dick" Utesch was born on September 23, 1939 at Riceville, Iowa, the youngest of four children born to Carl Frederick and Anna Augusta (Ring) Utesch and passed away on Monday, January 5, 2015 at the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System in Omaha, Nebraska at the age of 75 years, 3 months and 13 days.

He attended and graduated from Riceville High School. He then pursued higher education at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, where he studied horticulture. Following his education, he was inducted into the United States Army on December 1, 1961 and served as a sharpshooter in the Vietnam War until he was honorably discharged on November 19, 1964.

After his military service, he lived in Houston, Texas, where he was employed by a greenhouse. In 1974, together with his parents, they began the A and D Greenhouse in Riceville. After about 10 years, Dick moved to Holdrege, where he continued his love of horticulture and kept busy by mowing lawns, doing odd jobs and raising plants.

Dick was a member of the Disabled American Veteran's Chapter #15 in Holdrege and several garden clubs through the years.

He was preceded in death by his parents and several siblings.

Dick leaves to mourn his passing; his special friends: John Kaiser and Pearl McConnell both of Atlanta, Nebraska; and a host of friends.

There will be no visitation, the casket will be closed.

A memorial has been established in Dick's honor and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com .

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.