Richard C. "Dick" HOUSEWORTH

1928 - 2018

HOUSEWORTH, Richard C. "Dick" age 89, passed away on January 1, 2018, just 17 days short of his 90th birthday. Dick was born on January 18, 1928 in Harveyville, KS and was the youngest of four children of parents, Mabel Mae Lynch and Court H. Houseworth. Dick joined the Army in 1946, was honorably discharged in 1948, and graduated with a BS degree from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS in 1950. Dick, a second generation banker, began his banking career at the Lawrence National Bank in Lawrence, KS. In 1952, he returned to his hometown of Harveyville, KS as President of the First National Bank of Harveyville.  In 1954, he succeeded his father, the bank's founder and majority owner, as President and CEO. Dick told friends and numerous banking audiences, "Fortunately, I was smart enough to know that I did not know very much, and recommended that the family sell its holdings to the bank's other directors." Dick and Laura Jennings were married in November 1952 and moved to Phoenix in 1955. Dick joined the Farmers & Stockmens Bank, which was acquired by the Bank of Douglas and subsequently became the Arizona Bank.  Dick served in numerous functional areas of the bank in both Phoenix and Tucson, including serving as Executive Vice President and Branch Administrator and as head of Government Relations, helping pave the path for interstate banking in Arizona. He retired from the Arizona Bank in 1988. Immediately upon his retirement from a banking career spanning almost 40 years, Dick was  nominated by President Ronald Reagan as a Director of the Board of the Export-Import Bank, based in Washington D.C., and served in that capacity from 1988 to 1991. Subsequently, President George H.W. Bush appointed Dick as Alternate Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank. In 1993, Laura and Dick returned to Phoenix, where he was appointed the Superintendent of Banks for the State of Arizona, serving three terms. In April 2006, The American Association of Bank Directors named him to their Board of Directors. Dick concluded his career serving as the Head of Government Relations of Capitol Bancorp, a $3.5 billion community bank development company headquartered in Lansing, Michigan and Phoenix, AZ. Dick's professional and civic affiliations were numerous, including serving as Director and President of the Arizona Bankers Association and Chairman of the Phoenix Urban League. Dick was the President of the Chambers of Commerce in Scottsdale and Tucson as well as the first President of the Arizona State Chamber of Commerce. He was the first recipient of the Scottsdale Junior Chamber of Commerce's Outstanding Young Man award. Dick also served as the Chairman of the board of trustees for the Pacific Coast Banking School and was honored by the Arizona State House of Representatives for his outstanding service to the state of Arizona. Dick was a member of various service organizations, including the Tucson Conquistadores, and until his passing he was the longest surviving founding member of The Scottsdale Charros. Dick and Laura enjoyed membership in the Valley Field Riding & Polo Club, the Paradise Valley Country Club, where Dick served two terms as President, the Tucson Country Club, the Chevy Chase Country Club, and the Burning Tree Golf Club.  Dick and Laura were long-standing members of St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church in Paradise Valley. Dick is predeceased by his devoted wife of nearly 62 years, Laura Louise Houseworth. He is survived by his three children, Louise Houseworth of Phoenix, AZ, Lucile Houseworth (Dr. Mark Magnuson) of Nashville, TN and Court Houseworth (Joanne Schlinkert) of Orinda, CA, his three grandchildren Sean Houseworth of San Francisco, CA, Madison Houseworth of Los Angeles, CA and Kelsey Magnuson of Chicago, IL, and numerous nieces and nephews. A Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, January 26, 2018 at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church, 6715 N. Mockingbird Lane, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to Scottsdale Museum of the West, St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church or a charity of one's choice. Arrangements by MESSINGER MORTUARY.