Richard W. Beardemphl, 80, of Redfield, SD, died Sunday, September 13, 2009 at the Community Memorial Hospital in Redfield. His funeral will be Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Redfield. Reverend Stephen Perry will officiate. Burial will be in the Ashton Cemetery. There will be a time for lunch and fellowship after the burial at the Ashton Community Hall. Visitation will be Friday from 1-8:00 p.m. with the family present from 6-8:00 p.m. at Thelen Funeral Home in Redfield. www.thelenfuneralhome.com

Richard was born July 1, 1929 in Ashton to Amzi and Edith (Bymers) Beardemphl. Richard attended rural school and then enlisted in the United States Navy in 1947. After his discharge, in 1950, he married Nancy Kish on August 31, 1950 in Ashton. Richard and Nancy moved to Wichita, KS and in 1951 Richard was called back into active duty. He was stationed in Hawaii where they lived until his second honorable discharge in 1953. They moved back to Wichita, where he began working at the aircraft plant doing sheet metal work. In September of 1971, Richard and Nancy moved to Ashton to be closer to family. Richard began working for Dakota Sheet Metal. Richard had enlisted in the US Naval Reserves after his discharge in 1953 and continued in the Naval reserves until his heart attack in 1977.

Richard attended Northern State College for two years after his fiftieth birthday where he took up accounting. After college, he started his own heating and plumbing business in Ashton. Richard had also worked at the South Dakota Developmental Center-Redfield in the power house for several years. After his retirement from SDDC, Richard and Nancy began going south for the winters. During the summer, they returned to Ashton, where he mowed for the city. In September of 2003, Richard entered the Golden Living Center where he resided until the time of his death.

He was a lifetime member of the Ashton American Legion, Paul A. Schleher VFW Post #2755 and the Ashton Methodist Church and the Masons. He served as treasurer for both the City of Ashton and the Ashton Methodist Church.

Richard is survived by his wife Nancy; his two sons: Richard Jr. (Sharon) Beardemphl of Ashton and their children Lorra Norden, Wendy Koester and Holly Beardemphl; and Amzi Beardemphl of Grand Forks, ND and his children Ben, Chris, Dustin, Eric and Amber Beardemphl; two daughters: Chrystal (Michael) Canty of Kerens, TX and their children, Monica Martin, Kimberly Brandt, Genevieve (Brian) Canty, Jason Canty; Diane (Alan) Armstrong of Colome, SD and their children: Angela Sather, Leah Anderson and A.J. Armstrong; fifteen great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters: Carolyn Stover and Alice Groft of Redfield and his sister-in-law Mildred Beardemphl of Redfield.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers: Otto and Floyd on August 25, 2009 and four sisters: Edith, Frances, Lydia and Bertha.