Richard Lee Washburn

Richard Washburn, age 87, lived by the motto “I will never give up.”   On Thursday, January 9, 2020, Richard gave it up and passed away peacefully at the home of his niece in Granger, Indiana.   Richard was born March 31, 1932 in South Bend, Indiana to the late Harold C.  and Wilma G. (Rehard) Washburn. 

At a dance one night, he met Alice Kedik-Lehman.  and they dated for several years before marrying in Arizona on December 31, 1985. They celebrated 33 years of marriage before Alice preceded him in death in May of 2019.

            Surviving is his family Anna (Stephen) Gill of Granger, two special great nieces; Stephanie Gunter and Courtney (Jeff) Tinker, a very special great-great nephew, Mason Gunter, and his favorite sister-in-law, Margie Armstrong.  Also surviving are sisters-in-law Lillian Kedik of Mishawaka and Mary (Bob) Hood of Fort Wayne.  Surviving as well is his stepdaughter Ruth Ann (Dennis) Page of Douglasville, Georgia and a step-grandson David (Heather Paris) Matheney of Atlanta, Georgia

            There will be no visitation or services at this time.  Cruz Family Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Osceola is assisting with arrangements.  Interment and Military Honors will take place at a later date in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Osceola.            Richard enjoyed the fact that he was an only child and had no children. He loved to boast about his younger days of delivering newspapers for the South Bend Tribune, his days in the Air Force in Germany (where he ran a movie theater) his survival of riding the troop ship and his peddling wares as a Manufacturer’s Rep.  Above all this, the thing he loved most was chasing his wife Alice.  They enjoyed many years of travel and adventure together. Ultimately, Richard may have had many factors that contributed to his passing, but the greatest contributor was the broken heart he had when his beloved Alice preceded him in death.

            In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the Center for Hospice, 501 Comfort Place, Mishawaka, IN 46545.  To leave an online condolence for the family, please follow the links provided on the Tribute Wall tab above. 

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