Richard LaVerne Glaspie, son of James "Roy" and Mary Ellen (McCabe) Glaspie, was born on October 16, 1932, in Waterloo, Iowa. He passed away on Sunday, August 10, 2008, at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Red Oak, Iowa, following a courageous battle with cancer at the age of 75.

Dick's early years were spent growing up in Waterloo until the age of 13, when the family moved to La Plata, Missouri. He graduated from Atlanta High School in Atlanta, Missouri with the Class of 1950. Following graduation he enlisted in the U. S. Air Force and completed his basic training at Albuquerque, New Mexico and was later stationed in Bordeaux, France.


On July 1, 1956, Dick was united in marriage to Margaret Diekmann at Faith Lutheran Church in Kirksville, Missouri. In 1959, he graduated from Northeast Missouri State University in Kirksville, with B. S. in Education. He taught in the Bethel, Queen City and Cainsville school systems in Missouri before moving to Essex, Iowa. Dick taught 33 years in the Essex Community Schools (from 1960 to 1993) before retiring. Following his retirement from teaching he worked as a substitute teacher at several Southwest Iowa schools. In 1994, he became a Driver's License Examiner for Iowa D. O. T. in Page and Montgomery Counties until retiring in 2007.

Dick was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Essex. He served on the Page County Conservation Board and on the Essex Lied Library Board. He was also a member of the Essex American Legion Post #333. Dick enjoyed all outdoor activities, he especially loved fishing, pheasant and deer hunting in addition to golf. He could always be found on the Annual Essex Labor Day Celebration at the Demolition Derby where he was the announcer for many years.

Preceding him in death were his father, James "Roy" in 1964 and mother, Mary Ellen in 1975, and his sister, Virginia, in 1982. He is survived by his wife of over 52 years, Margaret Glaspie of Essex, IA; four children, Monica Morris of Shenandoah, IA, Michael Glaspie of Des Moines, IA, Mark Glaspie and his wife Susan of Kansas City, KS, and Mimi Sanford and her husband Jerome of Des Moines, IA; three grandchildren, Mitchell Morris, Colette Sanford and Grant Sanford; niece, Margaret Willard of Waterloo, IA; dear friend, Alice Lindburg, formerly of Essex, IA; other relatives and many friends.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday, August 13, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church in Essex. Words of comfort were given by Pastor Jerry Lamb. The congregation sang "Children of the Heavenly Father", "Beautiful Savior" and "Onward Christian Soldiers". Caring for the flowers were Brooksie Miller and Brenda Franks. Attending to the register book and memorials were Dorothy Holmes, Carla Long, Janet Walker and Anne Mishou. Usher was Russell Hilker. Casket bearers were Doug Miller, Robert Anderson, Gene Mirts, Lynn Baldwin, Tim Bowers and Zach Bowers. Military rites were accorded by the Essex American Legion Post #333. Interement was in the Essex Cemetery. Memorials are being directed to the Essex Lied Library or to St. John's Lutheran Church. The Hackett-Livingston Funeral Home in Shenandoah was in charge of the arrangements.