WWII, Korea, Vietnam Veteran Passes On
Found this story buried in the obituaries and didn’t want this going unknown. This hero served his country in WWII, Korea and Vietnam! He was awarded numerous medals for valor. May God bless our combat veterans.
Colonel Richard D. Humphreys, 85, retired U.S. Marine, attorney-at-law, and real estate agent, of Forsyth Place, died Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009, at 8:10 a.m. at the Stone Pear Pavilion at the Fox Nursing Home in Chester.
Born in Pittsburgh, Pa., March 13, 1924, a son of the late Harry W. and Helen V. Davidson, he was a 1944 graduate of Franklin & Marshall College. He furthered his education in 1949 at the Dickinson School of Law where he earned a J.D. in Law. A Distinguished Graduate of the Naval War College in 1967 and a holder of the Certified Commercial Investment Member designation (CCIM) from the Realtors National Marketing Institute of the National Association of Realtors. He was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the United States Supreme Court, and the United States Court of Military Appeals.
He is past president of the Rotary Club of East Liverpool, and the Columbiana County Board of Realtors, and a former member of the Ohio Job Training Partnership, Inc., the Realtors National Marketing Institute, and the National Association of Realtors. He is a former member of and past chairperson of the Private Industry Council of Mahoning-Columbiana Counties, the Southern Columbiana County Joint Services Employers Committee, and of the Ohio Small Business Council Coordinating Board. He was formerly a member of the Ohio Governor’s Human Resources Advisory Council, the Business Advisory Council of the National Alliance of Business, the Advisory Committee for the Columbiana County Incubator, and a member of the Steering Committee of the Mahoning Valley Incubator. He is a member of the First United Methodist Church of East Liverpool, a member of Chapter No. 126 of the Korean War Veterans Association, a life member of the Korean War Veterans Association, a life member of the Disabled American Veterans, a member of the Dog Company 2nd Battalion Seventh Marines Association, and a member of the American Legion Post No. 374. He is the author of “Triumph on 1240″ the history of the Marines of D Company 2nd Battalion 7th Marines 1st Marine Division in Korea.
Colonel Humphreys’ active military service began with his enlistment as a Private in the U.S. Marine Corps on Dec. 14, 1942, and ended with his retirement on April 30, 1970, as a Colonel of Marines on duty as the Director of Legislative Plans and Coordination, Office of the Secretary of Defense. He joined the Second Battalion 7th Marines in Korea on Dec. 6, 1950, and was a Platoon Commander of the 3rd Platoon and later the company Executive Officer until June 6, 1951, when he was wounded and evacuated to the hospital in Japan. During his active service he received the following decorations and awards: The Silver Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V, the Purple Heart Medal with one Star, the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the Victory Medal (WWII), the Navy Occupation Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with one Star, the Korean Service Medal with three Stars, the United Nations Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Navy Letter of Commendation, the Vietnam Service Medal with one Star, the Vietnam Campaign Medal with device, and the Navy Commendation Medal with combat V.
Since his retirement from the service, he served in several positions in the East Liverpool Area Chamber of Commerce including that of Executive Vice President and Secretary from 1982 to 1987. He was also a member of the Riverview Cemetery Association Board.
His wife, Ann Louise Stewart Kerr Humphreys, survives at home. The couple married June 1, 1980.
There is a daughter, Paula Humphreys Land, and her husband Richard, of St. Jo, Texas; along with two sons, David S. Kerr, and his wife Victoria of Ellicott City, Md., and James R. Kerr, and his wife Marguerite of Medina.
Other survivors include six grandchildren: Catherine Gay, and her husband Matthew, Kenton Hutcherson, Allison Land, Virginia Land, Amy Kerr and Nicholas Kerr; and two great-grandchildren, Taylor and Lauren Gay; one sister, Jane Agriesti, and her husband Carl, of Johnson City, Tenn.; as well as a brother, David Humphreys, and his wife Loretta, of Pittsburgh.
He was preceded in death by a son, Richard D. Humphreys Jr., on July 10, 2009, a sister Marjorie Bright, and a brother Howard Humphreys.
Friends may call Tuesday afternoon and evening at the Dawson Funeral Home where the family will be present from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. The Rev. Dale Sutton of the First United Methodist Church will conduct a funeral service at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Burial will be at Riverview Cemetery where full military honors will be conducted.
Following the service, family and friends will gather at the Dawson Family Center for further remembrance.
In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may take the form of contributions in care of the First United Methodist Church, 200 West Fifth Street, East Liverpool, Ohio 43920 or the Beaver Local High School Marine Corps JROTC, 13187 State Route 7, Lisbon, Ohio 44432.
View this obituary and send condolences online at www.dawsonfuneralhome.com
