Richard L. "Rick" Dampier

Gaston - Richard "Rick" L. Dampier, 74, passed away on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at I.U. Health Ball Memorial Hospital after a lengthy illness.

Born in Muncie, Indiana, to Richard "Leo" Dampier and Elizabeth "Betty" Dampier, he graduated from Muncie Southside High School in 1970 and was a member of Grace Baptist Church since 1972. He served in the bus ministry, fixing and driving the buses for many years. He was also a member of the choir.

Other memberships included the Gaston Lions Club and the American Legion. He served in the U. S. Army Reserves from 1970 to 1993, including Operation Desert Shield.

He was a member and captain of the Gaston Volunteer Fire Department from 1982 to 2014 and was known as Bigfoot. Rick also served on the Gaston Zoning Board and Gaston Town Board.

He met Cathy Anderson while working at Excel and they married on April 1, 1972. He worked for Borg Warner Automotive from 1972 to 2009 and later was a bus driver for Muncie and Wes-Del Community Schools.

Rick was preceded in death by his wife Cathy Dampier in 2014. He was also preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Kevin Dampier, a sister, Carol Jane Dampier, and a niece Ashley.

Rick is survived by two daughters, Rachelle (Sean) Haughn of Muncie and Jeanette (James) Crouch of Yorktown, two brothers, Greg Dampier of Wolcottville and Lin (Dianna) Dampier of Spencer, Ohio; a brother-in-law, Eric (Marsha) Anderson, two sisters-in-law, Kristee Guy of Tennessee, and Bridget (Mike) Gallagher of North Carolina, and a mother-in-law, Sunday Anderson of North Carolina; five grandchildren, Shyanne, Alysha, and Justin Crouch of Yorktown and Collin and Emily Haughn of Muncie; and several cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

He was a beloved member of the Gaston Community having served on the town board.

A funeral service will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, February 27, 2026, at Grace Baptist Church, 6401 W. River Rd, Muncie, IN 47304 with Pastor Rory Bond officiating.

Burial with military honors will follow at Elm Ridge Cemetery.

Friends and family may call from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, 2026, and then again from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. all at Grace Baptist Church, 6401 W. River Rd, Muncie, IN 47304.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Gaston Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 593, Gaston, Indiana 47342.

All arrangements are entrusted to The Meeks Mortuary and Crematory and online condolences may be left for the family at www.meeksmortuary.com