Rev. Richard Friend

July 24, 1935 - November 23, 2018

Rev. Richard Lowell Friend, 83, of Bloomfield, Iowa passed away on November 23, 2018 at the Hospice House in Ottumwa. He was born July 24, 1935 in Wapello County, Iowa to Herbert Leo and Eurena Susan Fulcher Friend. He married Ethel Ione Reynolds at the Mark Baptist Church on August 19, 1956. Rev. Richard attended Bunker Hill, Jay Bird, Swamp Angle, and Stark grade schools in Davis County and Irvin grade school in Ottumwa, Iowa and would graduate from Bloomfield High School. While in high school, he received the Citizenship Award and several Chapter Star Farmer awards. After high school, he attended Vennard Bible College in University Park, a suburb of Oskaloosa, Iowa. He worked as a farm hand, gas station attendant at Vaugh Motors in Bloomfield, and in sales positions for General Life of Iowa, Sears Catalog Store, and Tom Sawyer Meats. In 1977, he was called to serve as pastor for the Bethlehem Christian Church near Floris, Iowa and served the church until retirement due to failing health. Richard and Ione worked together as co-administrators at the Friend’s Boarding Home (Later named Friend’s Residential Care Facility) in Bloomfield for 21 years. He was a member of the Association of Fundamental Ministers of Kansas City, Missouri serving as National Chairman 1992-2018. He was also a member of the Davis County Ministerial Association since 1983, serving as treasurer for many of those years. He is survived by his wife, Ione Friend; two daughters, Marcia Ramseyer of Bloomfield, Iowa, Linda Friend of Shawnee, Kansas; son, Mark (Kellie) Friend of Ham Lake, Minnesota; seven grandchildren, Sam (Bethany) Ramseyer, Nathan (Paula) Weishaar, Shawna (Daniel) Brueske, Rebecca (Micah) Horner, MaKayla (Nick) Wienhold, Megan (Jeff) Kraemer, Jordan Friend; and ten great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; infant son; and two brothers. Memorial services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 1, 2018 at the Wagler Funeral Home in Bloomfield with Pastor Aaron Swaim officiating. Burial of the cremated remains will be at a later date at the IOOF Cemetery in Bloomfield. Visitation with family present to greet friends will be from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to Ione Friend to help offset the cost of Richard’s long-term battle with cancer and the Bethlehem Christian Church. Donations can be made via cash, check or electronically using this PayPal ID [email protected]