Richard K. Rasdall

Richard Rasdall Obituary

VALLEY FALLS ~ Richard K. Rasdall, 78, Valley Falls, died Saturday, July 26, 2003, at his home after a lengthy illness. He was born Aug. 30, 1924, in Farmington, the son of Gerald Fordsman and Julia Frances Ralston Rasdall. He was the 14th of 14 children. He attended Atchison County Community High School in Effingham. Mr. Rasdall worked for Swift & Co. Meat Packing in Kansas City for 42 years, retiring as a division superintendent in 1982. He was a member of the Wyandotte Masonic Lodge No. 3, receiving his 50-year pin in 2002. He was a member of the 92nd Air Force Memorial Association, the American Ex-Prisoners of War Organization, the Grahem-Herbers Post No. 3084 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Valley Falls and Valley Falls United Methodist Church. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942, serving as a tech sergeant and ball turret gunner on a B-17 as part of the Eighth Air Force, 407th Bomb Squad, and 92nd Bomb Group. Mr. Rasdall and the other members of his crew were shot down in their B-17 on their eighth mission on July 4, 1943, during the bombing of an airplane factory in Nantes, France. Their plane crashed in the Bay of Biscay. He was wounded in the process of being captured by German soldiers. He was held as a prisoner of war in Stalag 17-B in Krems, Austria, until he and other POWs were liberated 23 months later in 1945. He received the World War II Medal, African Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, POW Medal and Air Medal. He was also awarded the Purple Heart on June 24, 2001, nearly 58 years after he was wounded. He married C. Evelyn Berry on Nov. 16, 1946, at Shawnee Mission. She survives of the home. Other survivors include a son, Richard K. Rasdall Jr. and his wife, Rebecca, Gladstone, Mo.; a daughter, Lori A. Wunder and her husband, John, Valley Falls; three grandchildren, Brett Rasdall and Katie and Ryan Wunder; a sister, Vivian B. Allin, Jacksonville, Fla.; a brother, Gerald F. Rasdall, Kansas City, Kan.; and dozens of close nieces and nephews. Richard was loved dearly by his family and admired by his co-workers and friends. He looked forward to family gatherings, laughter and time with his grandchildren. The family wishes to express its sincere appreciation to Jeanie Frakes and the Jefferson County Hospice staff and volunteers for their outstanding care, concern and attention in making Richards final days as peaceful as possible in his home. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Valley Falls United Methodist Church. Burial with military honors conducted by Post No. 3084 of the VFW will be at 2 p.m. in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Kansas City, Kan. Visitation will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Mercer Funeral Home in Valley Falls. Memorial contributions may be made to Jefferson County Hospice, Jefferson County EMS or Valley Falls United Methodist Church, and sent in care of the funeral home, P.O. Box 6, Valley Falls, 66088.

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Published by Topeka Capital-Journal from Jul. 27 to Jul. 28, 2003.

Memories and Condolences
for Richard Rasdall

10 Entries

Angela Leverette

July 30, 2003

Dear Rasdall Family,

May God sustain you with his Holy Spirit at this time of separation from your loved. Remember that earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal. My prayers are with you.

Denise McClure-Saskowski

July 29, 2003

Dear Lori my heart & prayers go out to you & your family in your loss. May God watch over all of you during this time & God rest your Dad's soul. Take care. Love, Denise, Jerry, Jacob & Joshua XOOXX

Debra Bronston

July 29, 2003

Rich: I was sorry to learn of your father's passing. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, D.B.

John Moore

July 29, 2003

I never had the opportunity to meet Mr. Rasdall personally, but I saw his friendliness, generosity and kindness through his son, Rich, with whom I work. He must have been a fine leader and father, among his other accomplishments.

Pat Scarkino

July 29, 2003

Rich - I am so sorry to hear about your dad. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Your friend,

Pat

Susan Roberts

July 29, 2003

I am so fortunate to have met Richard and his wonderful family in the mid-1990's when, after great persistence, he located and contacted my Mother. Richard was one of the brave and honorable

men that served with my Father in

WWII. He kindly and generously

provided many missing pieces of information that I was seeking regarding the events of them being shot down over France in 1943.

I only regret that I could not have afforded to hire someone to dig up his ball turret (buried under the ocean sand in the Bay of Bisay off the coast of France the last 60 years) and deliver it right to the middle of his front lawn. I think he would have really gotten a big laugh out of that.

Richard always spoke of my Father with great respect and I now pay my high respect to Richard as a friend,

a tough former POW, and a proud Veteran.

Susan Roberts

Daughter of John J. Campbell (Jack)

2nd Lt., B-17 pilot of the crew's "Battlin' "censored"".

Norman and Nancy Nellis

July 29, 2003

Dear Evelyn and family,

Our sincere sympathy in your loss.

May God hold you close and give you peace and comfort in the days ahead.

Norman and Nancy Nellis

Cathie Austin

July 28, 2003

Rich -- my sincere condolences to you and your family -- I will keep you and yours in my prayers -- Cathie

William Kiser

July 28, 2003

It is with great sadness I say farewell to my "Ole" POW friend and bunk mate of Stalag 17B--1943--1945. Both of us went down on our 8th mission

So thankful we got to see each other in Branson, Mo to renew good and bad memories of those years.

Thanks for the phone calls and jokes

Will always remember "My Friend Richard"

The Family will be in our prayers.

Kiser's All

Leroy & Juanita Vanskike

July 28, 2003

Rich was a very special person. As I Had told him in his card, he was a man with many medals. May God give him another medal for being such a wonderful person, husband and father. God Bless All of the Family and Loved Ones

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