Richard “Dick” Eugene Stoops

Richard “Dick” Eugene Stoops, 87, passed away, Nov. 9, 2021, at the Craig Senior Living Retirement Community in Amarillo, Texas.
He was born on May 19, 1934, at Booth Memorial Salvation Army Hospital in Wichita, Kansas, the son of Joe Grear and Lela Maxine Stoops.
Richard’s childhood and teenage years were spent growing up in Annie Wittenmyer Home, also known as the Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home in Davenport, Iowa, and a time in Glenwood State-Hospital School in Glenwood, Iowa.
Richard graduated from Central High School in Davenport and enlisted into the United States Army after graduating high school, serving in the Korean War. He received an honorable discharge with many military decorations and awards.
Richard then attended the Commercial Art School at Stanford University and graduated from the Traffic Institute of Northwestern University at New Mexico State University and New Mexico State Police Academy, Santa Fe, New Mexico. His law enforcement career took him to Carlsbad, New Mexico; New Mexico State Police; Iowa State Juvenile Training; Roswell, New Mexico; Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico; Washington; Iowa; Great Bend, Kansas, and Liberal, Kansas. He was a quartermaster for the Liberal Police Department during his last service in law enforcement prior to his retirement in 2011.
Richard enlisted into the Kansas Army National Guard as a member of the 1^st Battalion, 161^st Field Artillery. He served 10 years with eight years as unit supply specialist on active duty before receiving an honorable discharge. He then was employed at Southwest Medical Center Hospital, Liberal, Kansas, in the Central Supply Department.
Richard worked as a security officer for several years at National Beef Packing Plant in Liberal in between his law enforcement and military occupations. He later worked as a security officer for Seward County Community College in Liberal, retiring from that position in 2016.
Richard and Ruth Ann (Clark) Stoops were united in marriage at Saint John’s Methodist Church in Davenport Aug. 16, 1964. They were married for 56 years prior to Ruth’s passing Nov. 3, 2020.
Richard’s passion was his family, grandchildren and serving others. He volunteered, participated, and helped to organize numerous veterans and honor guard funerals. He participated or marched in countless parades to represent his membership organizations. Richard served on many committees and held many office positions to support the communities he lived in.
Richard was a member of the Kansas Peace Officers Association, Midian Shriners, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Kansas Freemasons Masonic Fargo Lodge #300, where he received his 50th year pin and certificate, and York Rite of Kansas. Richard was a 32nd Degree Master Mason.
Survivors include his daughter, Ann Benfer and husband Kurt, Guymon, Oklahoma; his son, Kyle Stoops and wife Stacey, Halstead, Kansas; grandchildren Savanah G. Stoops, Kyra A. Benfer and Joshua E. Benfer.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Ruth.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, at the Hornung Family Funeral Home, Liberal. The family will be present to greet friends from 5-7 p.m.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, , at the First United Methodist Church in Liberal with Pastor Brad Bennett presiding. Richard’s place of final rest will be at the Wayland Cemetery in Wayland, Iowa, with a private family interment.
While the family appreciates the love and support from family and friends, they require that masks be worn and social distancing be observed during all visitations and services.
For those who cannot attend, the service will be live-streamed on the funeral home’s Facebook page. Search for Hornung or Brenneman Funeral Home and Like the page. A notification will be sent to access the site shortly before the service.
Memorial contributions may be given to the First United Methodist Church of Liberal, Kansas; the Craig Senior Living Retirement Community, Amarillo, Texas; or the Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Amarillo, Texas. Make checks payable to Department of Veterans Affairs-Amarillo VA. All memorial contributions should be sent in care of the Hornung Family Funeral Home, 1212 W. 2nd Liberal, Kansas 67901. Condolences may be sent to the family at Hornung Family Funeral Home http://www.hornungfuneral