Services were held Friday, June 30, 2006 at Hastings Funeral Home in Jefferson for Richard Dean Marks, 71, of Jefferson, formerly of Rippey. Pastor Kenley Dunscomb of Valley Junction Church of Christ in West Des Moines officiated. Teresa Earp was soloist, with Delores Anderson as accompanist. There was also congregational singing as well as music recorded by Mr. Marks. The flag was presented by Floyd W. Brown American Legion Post No. 11 of Jefferson.
Richard Dean Marks, son of James Marks and Loraine Doris Derry Marks, was born April 7, 1935, in Jefferson. He died June 23, 2006 at Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson.
Richard’s father was a pastor and Richard attended school in several towns, including the “pink” school in Jefferson, and later in Chetopa and Chanute, KS. He graduated from Lee Academy in Cleveland, TN, in 1953. He received his B.A.degree from Long Beach State and his master’s degree from Iowa State University. He had been working on his Ph.D.
Richard served in the U.S. Navy from 1953 to 1963. He was an air traffic controller in Utah and was an aeronautical operator in California for 10 years.
Richard married Lila Belle Barnett on October 19, 1957 in Wichita, KS. They were parents of two children, Teresa and Danny.
His career in education started in the Cooper school where he taught from 1975 to 1980. The family lived in Jefferson during that time. Richard was principal in Moravia, IA. from 1980-1981. He joined the East Greene school system and served as elementary principal until he retired in 1996. Richard and Lila moved to Rippey in 1981 and because of his failing health, moved to Jefferson in March of 2006.
His church and music were always very important to Richard. As a young boy he played piano for his father’s first church. He was also an accomplished baritone player as a teen. Richard shared his vocal and piano talents with the churches of which he was a member and also at many care facilities in the area. He was an active volunteer with Men and Women of Action, a building outreach of the Church of God.
He was preceded in death by his father, parents in law, and brother in law, Lloyd Sparks.
Survivors include his wife Lila Marks of Jefferson, his mother Loraine Marks of Jefferson; his daughter Teresa Earp (Charley) of Chicago, IL. his son, Danny Marks of Springfield, MO. two grandchildren, Melissa and Christopher Earp; three brothers, Randy Marks of Springfield, OR., John Marks, (Kay) of Palestine, TX. and Jim Marks (Debbie) of Moore, OK; five sisters: Shirley Sparks of Branson, MO, Mary Anderson (Don) of Scranton, Jean Wyman of Palm Desert, CA, Joan Phelps (Leon) of San Bernardino, CA and Sharon Henrichsen (Charles) of Trenton, SC: and two uncles, two aunts, a niece and nephews.
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