Richard Dean Dilley, 73, died at the CHI Community Memorial Hospital in Missouri Valley. He was born on Dec. 31, 1951, near Missouri Valley, to Harold and Alberta (Erixon) Dilley. He attended elementary school in Pisgah and then graduated from West Harrison High School in 1970. Rick joined the US Navy in 1972. He attended boot camp in San Diego, Calif. From San Diego, Rick went to Groton, Conn. to attend submarine school. During various deployments, they crossed the Equator and the Artic Circle, in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Rick was discharged from the Navy in 1976, attaining the rank of Interior Communications Petty Officer 2nd Class. After his discharge, Rick returned to Pisgah and held various jobs, some of which were owning and operating Abe’s Place in River Sioux, worked at a cabinet shop in Papillion, Neb. for serval years, worked for BCS in Missouri Valley as a custodian at the Missouri Valley Schools for fourteen years. He also had the Omaha World Herald paper route in Pisgah for a number of years. Rick retired at the age of 68 from BCS.
Rick loved his family and one of his favorite past times was researching family connections on Ancestery.com. He loved to play cribbage, Yahtzee and Tripoli. He was always a big supporter of Pisgah. He served on the city council, served as mayor of Pisgah, had been active in the past with the Pisgah Reach Out Group, served on the Pisgah Volunteer Fire Department and was an EMT. Rick always claimed Pisgah had the best water. Rick volunteered at the Pisgah Unit of the DNR. He enjoyed being in plays and was an avid member of the Town & Country Arts. Rick was a member of the Chrysolite Masonic Lodge.
Rick was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Leta Price, Norma Barry and Joy Carson; and three brothers, Madison Dilley, Raymond “Pete” Dilley and Russell Dilley. He is survived by two sisters, Janette and her husband Allan Herzberg of Independence, Kan. and Gaylene and her husband Art Van Wey of Lakewood, Wash.; one brother, Harold “Babe” Dilley of Des Moines; and many cousins and nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held from 11a.m.-2p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025, at the Pisgah City Park.
Fouts Funeral Home in Woodbine is in charge of arrangements. www.foutsfuneralhome.com
