Richard Claypool

Richard D. Claypool, 83, entered his Heavenly Home on Wednesday evening, October 14, 2015, following a lengthy illness at Hawkeye Care Center (Villa del Sol) in Marshalltown, Iowa. Visitation will be at First United Methodist Church, 202 West Main Street in Marshalltown, on Friday evening, October 23, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. A celebration of Life will be held at the Church on Saturday, October 24 at 10:30 a.m. followed by a luncheon. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages that memorials be directed to The Claypool Future-Teacher Scholarship fund, in care of the family or Wells Fargo Bank. Dick was born on May 17, 1932, near Hampton, Iowa, to Wayne and Ethel (Crow) Claypool. He was a graduate of Hampton High School in 1951, and the University of Northern Iowa in 1957, with graduate work at UNI and the University of Iowa. Dick spent his entire teaching career of 37 years in Marshalltown, Iowa, where he was a teacher of Industrial technology from 1957-1994, and the Director of the Driver Education Program from 1967-1994. He retired from MHS in 1994. Dick married Joanne Hovmark in Hampton, Iowa, on December 19, 1954. They were blessed with nearly 61 years together and are the parents of four children: Richard, Rustin, Robin, and Rebecca. Dick was a long time member of First United Methodist Church, a lifetime member of the National Education Association, and the Iowa Association of Driver and Safety Education. Dick was formerly a member of the Meals on Wheels Board of Directors, and a Promise Keepers Prayer Group. Dick received a 30 year award from the Driver Education Association in 1987, a merit award from the Iowa State Troopers Association in 1994, and was acknowledged as a contributing teacher at the Industrial Arts Expo for over 25 years. Dick received the Evening Optimists Retired Teacher of the Year Award in 2003. He was honored by the Marshalltown Rotary Club with their Unsung Hero award in 2007 for his work fixing and building bicycles for children in the community without bikes. Dick enjoyed yard work, repairing and building bicycles, creating miniature cannons, but most especially his family, working with kids, serving his church and community as a volunteer, and his friends. The family enjoyed camping trips throughout the United States as the kids were growing up. Dick and Joanne loved traveling in their retirement and especially taking cruises with their friends. They touched six continents and numerous countries, as their philosophy was do as much as we can for as long as we can. Dick was preceded in death by his eldest son, Rich in 2000; his daughter-in-law, Shelly in 1989; his and Joannes parents; his brother Robin in childhood; and many close friends and relatives. He is survived by his loving wife, Joanne; his amazing children: Rusty Claypool of Waterloo, Rob (Sharon) Claypool of Denison, Iowa, and Becky (John) Jacobson of Marshalltown; his ten grandchildren: Olivia Jacobson, Ben (Fiance Megan Russell) Claypool, Ryan Claypool, Ellen Claypool, Dylan Claypool, Nyle (Desiree) Claypool, Taylor Claypool, Chris Claypool, Amanda (Pat) Schroeder, Stephanie (Raul) Sanchez; and his five great grandchildren: Korie Claypool, Adison and Caden Schroeder, and Aliyah and Jaxson Sanchez. He is also survived by his sister, Betty Lohrbach-Fryett of Allison, Iowa; several nieces and nephews; and three children sponsored through Compassion International: Katherine of Equador, Teyiba of Ethiopia, and Lucas of Brazil. The family wishes to thank the staff at the Villa, and Iowa River Hospice, for their loving and compassionate care during Dicks long illness.