DEPUYDT, Richard Joseph

Today's News-Herald, Lake Havasu City, Arizona Published Wednesday, April 29, 2009 Richard Joseph DePuydt, 77, died Sunday, April 26, 2009, at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Hospital in Las Vegas. Dick, as his family and friends knew him, was born in St. Nicholas, Mich., on Feb. 13, 1932, the son of the late Gerard and Violet DePuydt. Dick graduated from Perkins High School in Perkins, Mich., and earned an associate degree in business administration from Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Mich. On Dec. 1, 1951, Dick married the former Peggy Ann Phalen in Nahma, Mich. During the early 1950s, he was a proud member of the Operating Engineers Local No. 324 of Escanaba, Mich., and helped construct the Mighty Mackinac Bridge connecting Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas. Dick served with the Michigan State Police from 1960 to 1988 as a state trooper and advanced to administrative officer prior to his retirement in June 1988. His MSP Post assignments were Bay City, East Tawas and Iron River, Mich. In 1988, Dick, with his wife Peggy, moved to Lake Havasu City where they have since resided, summering in Michigan. He served with the Lake Havasu City Police Department as Police Service Assistant for 5 1/2 years. Dick was an avid sports enthusiast, trophy bowler and golfer, a member of the American Golf Association, London Bridge Golf Course, and the Benevolent People of the Elks (BPOE) of Lake Havasu City. He was also a member of the Michigan State Police Command Officer’s Association Inc., and the Michigan State Police Troopers Association. Dick is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Peggy Ann DePuydt, of Lake Havasu City; daughters, Jody Ann Tousignant (Mark), of Iron River, Mich., Glenna Jean Hale (Alan), of Milan, Mich., Richelle Diana DePuydt-Gagne (Gary), of Iron River; son, Thomas Allen DePuydt (Amy), a Lake Havasu City police officer; brothers, Donald (Beverly) DePuydt, of Perkins, Mich., Alan (Betsy) DePuydt, of Perkins, Mich., Reginald (Mary) DePuydt, of Escanaba, Mich.; sisters, Dolores (George) Neurohr, of Perkins, Kathleen (Larry) Perrine, of Austin, Texas, Carole (Alan) Moser, of Rapid River, Mich.; grandchildren, Joe Benishek, of Marquette, Mich., Kirby Benishek , of Wausau, Wis., Todd Benishek, of Iron River, Ben Zukowski, of Milan, Chris Zukowski, of Milan, Michael DePuydt, of Lake Havasu City, Katie DePuydt, of Lake Havasu City; one great-grandchild, Blaiden Benishek, of Wausau; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. He was preceded in death by an infant son, Richard; a brother, Kenneth and wife Estelle DePuydt, of Perkins: brothers-in-law, George (Dolores) Neurohr, Alan (Carole) Moser, of Rapid River: and one great-grandchild MacKenzie Elizabeth Zukowski. Father Mike Ashibuogwu will be officiating a Memorial Mass at Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church Saturday, at 10:30 a.m. Assisting will be Deacon Tom Coe. In lieu of flowers, Dick’s family requests donations to establish a memorial fund dedicated to research of Wegener’s granulomatosis vasculitis. Condolences and thoughts can be made to his family at www.lietz-frazefuneralhome.com. Arrangements were placed under the care of Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home and Crematory.