A celebration of life will be held 11:00 am Friday, February 11, 2022 at Fullerton Funeral Home, 123 2nd ST SE, Mason City. Officiating will be Pastor Karen Young of the First Congregational Church. Visitation will be one hour prior to service. Dick has donated his body to the University of Iowa anatomical department

Richard was born August 7, 1936 one of two children to Raymond Harold and Margaret "Helm" Tierney in Spencer Iowa. They moved to Mason City when Dick was six. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1954. At age 15 he began his path as a Poet, Novelist and short story writer. In his journeys across the country he continued his education usually in communities of other writers. He graduated from Iowa State College in Ames with a B.A. in entomology and then worked for over 13 years in the US Forest Service. Most of the time was spent in Alaska, classifying insects. He then worked in a lab in Berkley, CA for three years, and later in book stores in Minneapolis, MN. He also had worked at the Boy Scout Boundary Water camp and in the past years he delivered many meals on wheels in Mason City. It would be an understatement to describe Dick as a life-long learner. In a group discussion recently, he commented that his best friends were his books, which he eagerly shared with others. In several settings in Mason City, Dick has been a faithful, enthusiastic member of adult discussion groups including his long-time membership in the Unitarian Universalist Society, United Church of Christ group, and the First Presbyterian Church bible study and adult forum. His contributions to any discussion were legendary, with his vast knowledge in ancient history, world religions, weird and fantastic poetry, cartooning, mythology, wildlife management, entomology and many other areas, He shared his knowledge graciously, as well as being open to learning from others. The public library was another close friend. Dick is especially renowned for his weird and fantastic verse, which has been acclaimed by such critics, writers, and poets including S.T. Joshi, Don Herron, Ramsey Campbell, Robert M. Price and others. He was presented with the annual Minnesota Fantasy Award. He was also nominated for Science Fiction Poetry Association Grand Master in 2010. He has a lengthy bio on Wikipedia. He was a co-author of the Red Sonja, and Gitta series. He wrote "The House of the Toad" and "The Drums of Chaos". He also authored many poems and short stories.

He is survived by his sister Delores "Dee" and her husband Roger Hunt of Nora Springs, Iowa and his niece and nephew, Peg and Matt and grand nieces and nephews and a good friend, Bryan Clark.

Preceding him in death are his parents and a nephew Roger "Joe" Hunt, Jr.

Fullerton Funeral Home, 123 2nd St SE, Mason City, IA 50401, 641-423-8676 www.Fullertonfh.com Facebook/Fullertonfuneralhomes

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Globe Gazette on Feb. 8, 2022.

Memories and Condolences
for Richard Tierney

Sponsored by Fullerton Funeral Home in Mason City.

9 Entries

Charles Lovecraft

February 2, 2025

I am always remembering Richard and carrying him around in my mind most of the year. He was a humorist as well as a brilliant poet and writer. He continues to be sadly missed. His spirit lives on in his works, and those will live on forever, so his readers are doubly blessed.

Chris Puckelwartz

February 12, 2022

Such a huge loss. DIck was a great writer of verse and prose as everyone knows. However, he was so much more;, such a kind, generous man.

I'll never forget visiting him in Mason City and sharing so many fantastic discussions in person and through mail and email.

His Simon of Gitta and Taggart characters will live on along with our memories of him forever.

Thank you for all of your time and your wonderful words both in conversation and story Eldritchard!

Yours in service of Tsathhogua for the last time Terrible Old Man!

Chris

Luke Lieberman, Red Sonja Corp

Planted Trees

David C. Smith

February 10, 2022

I first met Dick in 1975 when I was a young writer and he offered to read my first novel. He sent it to his agent, and it was the start of my publishing career. He and I then wrote seven novels together and shared many letters and personal visits over the years. His generosity was legendary, and it was sheer joy to sit and talk with him for hours on end. He was a brilliant scholar, and his research and essays have proved to be critically important in our corner of the literary world. He will be greatly missed but also remembered and celebrated by other writers and scholars for a very long time.

David C. Smith

Planted Trees

Robert Price

February 10, 2022

What an amazing fellow! A great friend and mentor!

Charles Lovecraft and Margaret Barnes

February 8, 2022

My and my wife's heartfelt and sincere condolences are sent from Australia to Richard's remaining family, sister Delores, husband Roger, and children, and to his good friend, Bryan. Please accept our deepest thoughts and sympathies. He is deeply missed.

Charles "Danny" Lovecraft and Margaret Barnes

February 8, 2022

Richard, a great friend has passed but his memory does not. His life and times, and his writings and imaginings will continue on, in the gentle memories of those fortunate enough to know him, and of those who have read or will read his work. Richard is like Shakespeare said: "The quality of mercy is not strained," because through his writings and visions he gave us some mercy and refuge against the mercilessness of life, and reading his work is never a strain in any case. Great Bard and friend, see you in your great words and arms of thought that rest about our shoulders like a pal's, while stepping stones of time pass along beneath your onward-treading feet. Eldritchard lives on in song.

Audrey Huff

February 8, 2022

Dee and family, thinking of you, so many memories!
Love to you.

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