Terry Lee Richards

1955 - 2025

Terry Lee Richards

March 8, 1955 - May 10, 2025

Terry Lee Richards, age 70, was born March 8, 1955 in McCook, NE to Harold and Delores (McKillip) Richards and went home to be with the Lord on May 10, 2025 at Great Plains Medical Center in North Platte, NE.

Terry attended grades K-12 in Hayes Center, NE. graduating in 1973. Terry grew up on the family farm in Hayes County with his sisters, Sherry and Kerry and brother, Barry, where they had fun throwing calves and harvesting wheat. Terry was running tractors and combines on his own at a very early age. He enjoyed the yearly family vacations traveling across America. Terry was active in sports where he acquired the nickname "Lightning."

He attended UNSTA and graduated with a two-year degree, while enjoying some wild rides to Husker football games in his '73 Road Runner. Because of the farm economy of the late '70's a group called the AMERICAN AGRICULTURE MOVEMENT was born. This group decided a national tractorcade to Washington D.C. was in order to fight for parity. Terry drove his tractor all the way to D.C. with hundreds of other tractors and support vehicles joining in along the way while enduring one of the worst winter weather seasons up to that date.

The 70's and '80's brought the marriages of his siblings and very soon Terry was the favorite uncle of several nieces and nephews. He loved spoiling all of them with noisy toys that the kids thought were great, but sometimes annoyed the parents.

He married the love of his life, Diane Helberg, of Hamlet, NE, January 11, 1992, at Hamlet Union Church in Hamlet. Terry and Diane enjoyed farm and ranch life and traveling to Amy Gant concerts, state fairs, National Rodeo Finals, and many stock shows.

Terry is survived by his sisters, Sherry (Don) Purvis of Kearney and Kerry (Tom) Thompson of Omaha; brother, Barry (Marian) Richards of Hayes Center and father-in-law, Mick Helberg of Hamlet; nieces and nephews: Tyler (Leane) Acton, Dustin Acton, Dustin Mintling, Devon Helberg, Lindsay Acton, Darcie (Luke) Weiss, Dani (Jayson) Eggleston, Derek (Alicia) Richards, Zac (Cayla) Richards, Beau Richards (Darien Adams), Joelle (Tyler) Scherr, Ryan Thompson (Jessica Stockman); brother-in-law James (Christine) Helberg; sister-in-law, Cindy (Randy) Acton of Wauneta; great-nieces and nephews, Sydnee, Aden, and Emma Acton, Matthew and Maxine Nelson, Michael and Makenzie Weiss, Addison and Harper Richards, Aubree, Adrianna, Beckham Richards and Liam Townsley, Cienna Vogt and Korban Richards, Colbie and Cooper Eggleston, and Jaxton, Connor and John Scherr.

Terry was preceded in death by his grandparents, Harold "Lee" (Mae) Richards and Fay (Mae) McKillip; father, Harold Richards; mother, Delores Richards; great-nephew, Colton Eggleston; and mother-in-law, Jean Helberg.

Visitation will be held at Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook on Thursday, May 15, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.,Terry's family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Funeral services are scheduled for 10:30 a.m., on Friday morning, May 16, 2025 at the Bethel Baptist Church in Hayes Center. Burial will be in Meadow Lawn Cemetery in Hamlet.

Memorials are suggested to the family of Terry Richards for future designation. Online condolences may be left at herrmannfh.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel of McCook.