Richard Boeck
February 3, 1929 - July 10, 2011

Richard Oliver Boeck was born February 3, 1929, the adopted son of Oliver (Ike) and Else Petersen Boeck. He passed away Sunday, July 10, 2011, at Eventide Lutheran Home in Denison, Iowa, at the age of eighty two.
Richard was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and baptized February 5, 1929. He began school at Carroll Public Schools in Carroll, Iowa, until his family moved to Denison in 1936. He then continued his education at Zion Lutheran School until 8th grade, and was confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Denison on April 25, 1943. He graduated from Denison High School with the class of 1947. He attended Valparaiso University on an athletic scholarship, graduating with a B.A. degree in June 1951. Richard was united in marriage to Joleen Lafrenz on July 20, 1950. The couple was blessed with the birth of three children.
He was employed at GMAC in Des Moines, Iowa. They moved to Denison in April 1954, and he became business manager of Denison Auto Company, the Chevrolet-Buick Dealer. Richard and his father purchased Denison Auto Company in February 1956 and then Richard purchased his fathers share of the business in 1967. In 1968 he purchased Smith Motor Supply (NAPA). He sold Denison Auto in 1972 and Smith Motor Supply in 1986. He started Crawford County Ambulance service in 1965 which later became a service of the Crawford County Hospital. In 1974 he started Boeck Abstracting and later sold it to McHenry Miller Abstracting. He was an original member of Denisons Planning and Zoning Commission, served as trustee of Denison Municipal Utilities for 18 years, County Iowa Auto Dealers Association director, member of Chevrolet of Des Moines Zone Planning Committee and Buick K.C. Zone Planning Committee, one of the original founders of Midwestern College and Chairman of the Board of Directors, a member of the Denison Chamber of Commerce, served as Vice-President of Crawford County Development Corporation, and Chairman of the Community Chest. He was a faithful member of Zion Lutheran Church in Dension and had been a voting member since 1955, served as an usher, treasurer, teller, and taught Sunday School and Bible Class for 15 years.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Doug; and one sister, Shirley and her husband, Arlen. He is survived by his wife, Joleen; two daughters: Nicolette and her husband, Dan; and Stephanie and her husband, Jeff; three grandchildren: Jennifer, Alyssa, and Tracy; one sister, Jane and her husband, Jim; nieces, nephews, other family and friends.

Tributes