Clell Damon Richards

Clell Damon "C.D," Richards, 84, Sedgwick, died December 25, 2003 at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita. He was born September 7, 1919 in Afton, Oklahoma, son of M. A. and Florence Juliet Richards. He moved to Fairland, Oklahoma at a young age and considered that his hometown.

On June 21, 1958 he married Barbara Janice Monroe at Enterprise. She died April 3, 2004. He served in the U.S. Army, 36th Infantry Division during World War II, attaining the rank of Tech Sergeant. He attended basic training at Camp Wolters, Texas and received the Purple Heart medal for wounds received at the battle of the Rapido River Crossing in Italy. He was a soldier, a pilot, an inventor and an accomplished poet. He had previously worked at Cessna Aircraft as an instrumentation technician and instructor. He also worked for the weather bureau.

Survivors: sister, Zelious Miller, Miami, Oklahoma; nephews, Larry D. Miller, Sr. and Charles R. Miller, both of Miami, Oklahoma; Dean Bobbitt, Burneyville, Oklahoma and Marvin Bobbitt, Tulsa, Oklahoma and a niece, Doris Barrick, Byng, Oklahoma and many friends including Dick Edwards, Plano, Texasa; Donna Drew, Great Bend and Pam and Clancy Galliart, Halstead.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Roy Richards and Don Richards and a sister, Bessie Bobbitt.

Grave side service will be held Saturday at Fairview Cemetery, on County road 801 (North Halstead Road), Halstead, two miles north of Highway 50.

Memorials may be made to the Paralyzed Veterans of America or Caring Hands Humane Society, Newton.