Richard Dean Dauber

Richard "Dick" Dean Dauber's loving spirit departed his earthly body to be reunited with his heavenly family on Monday, December 1, 2025, at Mennonite Friendship Communities in South Hutchinson, after a long battle with cancer.

Dick was born on January 19, 1935, in Hutchinson, Kansas, to Carl Emmit Dauber and Marie Anna (Wyler) Dauber Chase. Dick was the eldest son of the five children born to Carl and Marie. Beverly Ann was the eldest daughter, followed by Dick, Carl Jr., Terry, and Sharon, the baby, lovingly referred to as "Pie."

Dick attended Yaggy and Dodge Grade Schools, Sherman Junior High, and graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1952. In his spare time, he would take his fishing pole and head for the river. He worked a couple of interesting jobs, fresh out of high school, from binding comic books, to working with explosives for an oil and gas surveyor. Dick was later hired on with Johnson Sheet Metal as a welder, fabricator, and layout person.

Thanks to his childhood friend, Tanner, Dick met the love of his life and soul mate, Adrienne Ayleen Foos, on a blind date, while she was attending the Grace Hospital School of Nursing in Hutchinson. The two hit it off immediately and were married on January 22, 1956, at the Bazine Methodist Church in Kansas and were blessed and welcomed two children into the world! Faith Eva in 1957, and Jeffrey Richard in 1959.

Dick and Adrienne were active members of the South Hutchinson United Methodist Church and supported the church by tithing. Dick served on the financial board and donated his time and materials, fabricating parts for the church kitchen and ventilation system. Dick was an annual worker at the church's food booth at the Kansas State Fair, where he bussed tables and was a former player on the church's softball team. Dick and Adrienne made sure that their children attended Sunday school, church services, and vacation bible school, and when the family went on trips and vacations, they attended Methodist church services and campground church services on Sunday.

Dick and Adrienne enjoyed traveling with their children and by themselves, they were fortunate to visit every state, except Hawaii.

Dick was an avid outdoorsman who thoroughly enjoyed fishing and hunting with his dad and brothers, and later on, with nephews, friends, and family by camping out at various Kansas lakes, rivers, and National Parks across the United States.

In the early 1970's, Dick was approached by Dan McGill, with an opportunity to work his way up the corporate ladder to become a partner at his business, Dan Dee Air, Inc. which originally serviced and installed HVAC systems for homes, businesses, and industries, the company then evolved into air pollution systems, working extensively at the salt companies in Hutchinson and Lyons. Dick eventually became vice president and shareholder at Dan Dee Air Inc. and after Dan's death, became president and owner of the company with his children working beside him. He remained active in the company serving as president and stepped down at the age of 88, due to his health issues. After the family retired in 2024, the business and building were sold to AF Welding in 2025.

Dick was preceded in death by: his son, Jeffrey; parents, Carl and Marie; stepfather, Tommy Chase; siblings, Beverly Ann (Dauber) Hendershot Paque, her former husband, Don Hendershot and present husband, Don Paque, Carl Dauber Jr., Terry Dauber and wife Nevada, Sharon "Pie" Anderton and former husband Ron; and nephews, Clinton and Ronald Hendershot.

Dick is survived by: his wife of almost 70 years, Adrienne; daughter, Faith Krehbiel and husband Jack; sister-in-law, Leona Dauber; grandchildren, Cherish Tadano and Jacob Phipps; great-grandson, Shouichi Tadano; and numerous loving nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, December 20, 2025, and the family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service, at the South Hutchinson United Methodist Church, 206 E. Avenue E, South Hutchinson, KS, 67505. Burial will follow in Fairlawn Burial Park. Friends may sign his memorial book from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, December 19th, 2025.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages memorials to be given to the South Hutchinson United Methodist Church, Community Care Hospice, American Cancer Society, or Hutchinson Animal Shelter, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.