Richard Peter "Dick" King

Richard Peter King (Dick), age 87, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 7, 2025, at Cascade Creek Memory Care in Rochester. Dick was born on the family farm on January 14, 1938. He graduated from LeRoy-Ostrander High School, where he was a talented baseball player. After graduation. Dick began his working career as a truck driver for Thompson Livestock, hauling cattle to St. Paul. In 1960, an opportunity arose for him to take over a dairy farm. After ten years, Richard realized his dream of owning his own farm near Ostrander. There, he raised hogs and farmed crops alongside his brother, Denny. Dick also cherished his time pitching fast pitch softball with his buddies on the Larry's Plumbing & Heating team. A highlight of his fast-pitching days was in the early 70's when the Minnesota Vikings had traveling teams that came to Ostrander to play ball. When they saw how good a pitcher he was, they wanted him to pitch for the Viking's team because they couldn't hit the ball when he pitched. On January 24, 1959, Richard was united in marriage to Ruth Ann Knight. Together they raised two sons. After the farm chores were done on summer Sunday's, Dick followed his love of water by taking his family to Lake City to waterski. He also took his family each summer for a week at a northern Minnesota lake resort where they played in the water and fished. Dick harvested his last crop in 2001, and he and Ruth moved to their Leech Lake home near Walker, Minnesota, which he, family, and some friends all helped to build in 1990. His greatest passion was having his family visit the cabin to enjoy the beach and to go fishing for his favorite catch of walleye. He spent the winters there by snowmobiling and ice fishing. After a few years, he and Ruth spent their winters traveling the United States and finally as winter Texan's. Dick is best remembered for his quick humor and smile including his willingness to always lend a helping hand where needed. He instilled in his family the virtue of hard work and dedication. In 2021, when he could no longer go to Leech Lake, he took great pride in knowing that his family would continue his and Ruth's tradition of enjoying the lake with family. Every day at the lake is a good day! Dick is lovingly remembered by his wife of 66 years, Ruth; his sons, Mike (Kari) of LeRoy and Mark (Jenny) of Zumbrota; his grandchildren Matt (Brooke), Ryan (Brittany), Josh (Lisa), Nate (Samantha), and Tom (Lindsey); and fifteen great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother Denny (Jeanie) King; and his sister, Patti (Ron) Dodds. Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Anna King, and brother and sister-in-law, Donny and Bernice King. A private family memorial service to celebrate Dick's life will be held in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home in Rochester, Minnesota. A public burial will take place at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, April 12 th in the St. Patrick's Cemetery in LeRoy, Minnesota. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer's Society.