Richard Walter Schlater, son of George and Suzie(Heckman) Schlater, was born on January 17, 1922, at Exira, Iowa and passed away on Sunday, April 27, 2008, at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha at age 86.
Richard attended grade school east of Exira and Exira High School graduating with the Class of 1939. Following high school he helped farm and worked at G. F. Manufacturing while living at home, south of Brayton, Iowa. On January 27, 1945, he was united in marriage to Norma L. Olsen by the Rev. H. L. Jensen at the Hamlin Lutheran Church in Hamlin, Iowa. Following their marriage they farmed together with Marvin (Toot) Schlater on the Schwab place near Viola Center. They later moved to the White Star Farm west of Hamlin. In 1947, they moved to Brayton where Dick worked at Brayton Produce before purchasing and operating a gas station in Brayton for 12 years. They joined Oak Hill Lutheran Church when Brayton Lutheran Church was formed. Dick was on the Church Council when the church was built with a lot of work put into it. He was active in the Brayton community serving as a Councilman and Mayor as well as being a member of the Brayton Fire Dept. They later moved to Denison, Iowa, where Dick was employed by Johnson Motor Co. as a bookkeeper before moving to Exira where he worked at Finnerty Oil and Larsen Ford. He then took a job with the State of Iowa as a Revenue Auditor, which required him to move to Essex, Iowa. In Essex they joined St. John's Lutheran Church where Dick served on the Church Board and as Treasurer. Upon retiring from the State of Iowa, he drove a school bus for the Essex Community Schools for several years. He was also a regular at the ball games where he sold tickets to each event. He also enjoyed golfing in his retirement.
Preceding Dick in death were his parents; son, Douglas Schlater; two brothers, Marvin and Grover Schlater; and a great granddaughter, Megan Hanner. He is survived by his wife of over 63 years, Norma L. Schlater of Essex, IA; two children, Roxanne Nance and her husband David of Wellington, KS, and Jeffrey Schlater and his fiance Jane Thalken both of Shenandoah, IA; eight grandchildren, Michele Hanner and husband Joe of Guthrie Center, IA, Melissa Wolbers and her husband Tom of Des Moines, IA, Ryan Schlater and his wife Tracy of Cambridge, IA, Justin Anglin of Roanoke, AL, Jan Kessler and her husband Allen of Wellington, KS, Amy McDaniel and her husband Cameron of Valley Center, KS and John and Jarod Nance, both of Wellington, KS; nine great grandchildren; two sisters, Lois Nelson and Lorene Vorm and her husband Leslie, all of Atlantic, IA; brother-in-law, Robert Olsen of Carroll, IA; and sister-in-law, Doris Schlater of Exira, IA; other relatives and many friends.
In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to the Essex Fire & Rescue. Burial will be in the Exira Cemetery.