Richard ‘Dick’ Allen Irwin
October 15, 2019 at 11:58 p.m.
Richard ‘Dick’ Allen Irwin
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He has an older brother Don (also a Vietnam veteran) and three younger siblings Peggy, Keith and Nancy. The family was raised in and around Atwood, when the kids were growing up. Richard attended Atwood School until they consolidated with Warsaw. He then attended Mentone graduating in the “Class of 1966.” The Irwin family eventually moved to Talma in the early 1960s. After graduation Richard worked at Sun Metal until got drafted by the US Army in October 1967.
He served in the Army from October 1967 until May 1969. He attended basic training at Fort Campbell, Ky., where he earned a sharpshooter award. He was then sent on to Fort Sill, Okla., and then finally arriving in Vietnam, March 1968. His entry point to Vietnam was Camron Bay. His job while in Vietnam was a field observer. He carried over 200 pounds on his back. He also was awarded two Bronze Stars for heroism.
Richard came home from Vietnam on his 21st birthday May 10, 1969. He did not tell his parents he was coming home; instead he decided to surprise them. He was at the neighbors, the next night celebrating his birthday, eating homemade ice cream. When Libbie Faulkner called to talk to cousin, Brenda, who in turn handed Richard the phone after a brief conversation, Richard and Libbie had their first date May 24, 1969. Yes, it was a blind date. Richard asked Libbie to marry him and was shocked speechless and didn’t answer, but instead went home and told her mom she had met the man she was going to marry. Less than a month later, the couple was engaged and then married Oct. 3, 1969, in Bourbon. After the couple married they settled in Etna Green, living in a trailer court for 2-1/2 years before they eventually bought property on High Street.
Richard and Libbie are the parents of four children: Laurie Irwin, of Etna Green; Troy Irwin (stillborn), Christopher and Danyelle Irwin, of Etna Green; and Ashlee and Mike Faulkner, of Bourbon. The couple also have five grandchildren: Teddy and Ruby Irwin, of Etna Green; Gavin and Allee Rohrer and Declin Faulkner, of Bourbon. The whole family is also members of the Bourbon United Pentecostal Church in Bourbon.
When Richard returned home he went back to work at Sun Metal, who in turn promoted him to plant manager on third shift, where he remained for the next five years. After that, he worked on a chicken farm south of Warsaw, for almost a year. From there he went to work at the Burket Elevator in the mill. Then later started to drive the Elevator’s feed truck. He also started delivery for Tippe Pak in Burket. They produced hard boiled eggs, which Richard would deliver all over the eastern United States: Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, New York and Washington DC. In his spare time, he also drove semi for Burket Elevator. Richard has not been able to work since 1982; he suffers from Agent Orange, which is a complication from his time over in Vietnam. His brain tells his body to move but his body can’t move. The nerve endings in his spinal cord are burnt of therefore he is quadriplegic. Remember freedom isn’t free, all gave some and some gave all.
The family will receive friends for a time of visitation from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19 at United Pentecostal Church of Bourbon. A service to celebrate Richard’s’s life will be held immediately following the visitation with Pastor Matthew and Bishop Mark Cottrill officiating. Burial will take place in Etna Green Cemetery, Etna Green, Indiana with military honors.
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Friends are invited to sign the online guestbook and share memories of Dick with the family at www.deatonclemensfuneralhome.com.
He has an older brother Don (also a Vietnam veteran) and three younger siblings Peggy, Keith and Nancy. The family was raised in and around Atwood, when the kids were growing up. Richard attended Atwood School until they consolidated with Warsaw. He then attended Mentone graduating in the “Class of 1966.” The Irwin family eventually moved to Talma in the early 1960s. After graduation Richard worked at Sun Metal until got drafted by the US Army in October 1967.
He served in the Army from October 1967 until May 1969. He attended basic training at Fort Campbell, Ky., where he earned a sharpshooter award. He was then sent on to Fort Sill, Okla., and then finally arriving in Vietnam, March 1968. His entry point to Vietnam was Camron Bay. His job while in Vietnam was a field observer. He carried over 200 pounds on his back. He also was awarded two Bronze Stars for heroism.
Richard came home from Vietnam on his 21st birthday May 10, 1969. He did not tell his parents he was coming home; instead he decided to surprise them. He was at the neighbors, the next night celebrating his birthday, eating homemade ice cream. When Libbie Faulkner called to talk to cousin, Brenda, who in turn handed Richard the phone after a brief conversation, Richard and Libbie had their first date May 24, 1969. Yes, it was a blind date. Richard asked Libbie to marry him and was shocked speechless and didn’t answer, but instead went home and told her mom she had met the man she was going to marry. Less than a month later, the couple was engaged and then married Oct. 3, 1969, in Bourbon. After the couple married they settled in Etna Green, living in a trailer court for 2-1/2 years before they eventually bought property on High Street.
Richard and Libbie are the parents of four children: Laurie Irwin, of Etna Green; Troy Irwin (stillborn), Christopher and Danyelle Irwin, of Etna Green; and Ashlee and Mike Faulkner, of Bourbon. The couple also have five grandchildren: Teddy and Ruby Irwin, of Etna Green; Gavin and Allee Rohrer and Declin Faulkner, of Bourbon. The whole family is also members of the Bourbon United Pentecostal Church in Bourbon.
When Richard returned home he went back to work at Sun Metal, who in turn promoted him to plant manager on third shift, where he remained for the next five years. After that, he worked on a chicken farm south of Warsaw, for almost a year. From there he went to work at the Burket Elevator in the mill. Then later started to drive the Elevator’s feed truck. He also started delivery for Tippe Pak in Burket. They produced hard boiled eggs, which Richard would deliver all over the eastern United States: Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, New York and Washington DC. In his spare time, he also drove semi for Burket Elevator. Richard has not been able to work since 1982; he suffers from Agent Orange, which is a complication from his time over in Vietnam. His brain tells his body to move but his body can’t move. The nerve endings in his spinal cord are burnt of therefore he is quadriplegic. Remember freedom isn’t free, all gave some and some gave all.
The family will receive friends for a time of visitation from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19 at United Pentecostal Church of Bourbon. A service to celebrate Richard’s’s life will be held immediately following the visitation with Pastor Matthew and Bishop Mark Cottrill officiating. Burial will take place in Etna Green Cemetery, Etna Green, Indiana with military honors.
*****
Friends are invited to sign the online guestbook and share memories of Dick with the family at www.deatonclemensfuneralhome.com.
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