Richard Lee Beaudine, 79, of Monticello, Iowa, formally Manchester, Iowa,  passed away peacefully at home on July 14, 2024 after a battle with stroke related Vascular Dementia.

Richard was born Gerald Richard Phipps in Chariton, Iowa on November 18, 1944, to Arthur and Cleta Morton Phipps. He was the third of eight children for Cleta. In 1950, Richard and his siblings were taken from their mother and placed in the Catholic Orphanage in Des Moines, Iowa. Richard would be the only sibling not to return to his mother, and in 1955 he was placed with Melvin and Evelyn (Mertes) Beaudine in Atlantic, Iowa. He was adopted in 1957 and became Richard Lee Beaudine.

Richard graduated from Atlantic High School in 1965 and began working for the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) in Atlantic, Iowa. In April of 1965 he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Immediately following Bootcamp onboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California, he attended Infantry Training onboard Camp Pendleton, California, and earned the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) of 0351 Anti-tank Assault man, where he would eventually be trained to operate the M40 106mm recoilless rifle.  Upon completion of initial training, he was attached to India Company 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, and deployed to Vietnam for 13 months, where he was wounded several times in battle, serving his country proudly.  His Marine Corps awards include the Purple Heart, Vietnam Campaign Medal w/devices, Vietnam Service Medal (3 stars), National Defense Medal, and the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.

After returning from Vietnam, Richard served the remained of his 4-year contract onboard the Naval Weapons Station, Yorktown, VA.  Upon his honorable discharge in 1969, he continued in the reserves, and returned to work with IDOT in Atlantic, Iowa. His first marriage ended in 1975 after two children. In December 1977 Richard began dating Marilyn Garnett (Brad delivered the match book, where Richard proposed to Marilyn, while Richard was at his drafting table on the bottom deck of the Atlantic IDOT Office, while Marilyn was upstairs) and they married August 26th, 1978, shortly thereafter he was promoted to Bridge Inspection for the Iowa Department of Transportation, and transferred to the Manchester, Iowa, office. Richard and Marilyn bought a home outside of Manchester  and in December of 1979 the family of 5 become 6 with the welcoming of their daughter.

Richard retired from the DOT in 99' and began to enjoy his hobbies. He enjoyed deer hunting, fishing, golfing, and woodworking. In 2016, Richard began having medical issues and throughout the next several years would have multiple strokes. In 2021 he was life flighted to University of Iowa Hospitals after a massive left side stroke that would diagnosis him with Vascular Dementia and his health decline would begin. In 2022, they purchased their home in Monticello, Iowa and moved closer to their daughter. In December of 2023, Richard started Palliative care and in May of 2024 he was placed on Hospice.

Richard is preceded in death by his oldest child, Dana Lee Beaudine, biological parents Cleta Morton-Sanders and Arthur Phipps, adoptive parents Melvin and Evelyn Beaudine, his siblings Peggy Wilson, Barbara Schramm, Deborah Hall, Julie Weis, Sharon Sanders, Bernard Clark and Fred Sanders.

Richard is survived by his wife, Marilyn Beaudine, sister, Norma Grace, son Brad (Kim) Beaudine of Stafford, Virginia, step-son Wade(Catherine) Garnett of Poquoson, Virginia, daughter Aleshia Chambers of Anamosa, Iowa, his grandchildren, Brant, Brianna, Blaine, Brett, Tyler, Ethan, Michael, Kate, Devin, Savannah, Kirsten, Joseph, and three great grandchildren.

Honorary pallbearers are Chris Domeyer, Dennis Wendling, Dan McDowell, Steve Botos, Devin Goranson, Joseph Chambers, Brant White, Tyler Beaudine

Visitation will be held on, Wednesday, July 17th, 2024, at Goettsch Funeral Home in Monticello  from 4-7pm with Military Honors at 5 pm. Private burial services at Canby Cemetery Casey, Iowa, on  Friday, July 19th, 2024 @ 1pm.

Goettsch Funeral Home has taken Richard and his family into their care.  Thoughts, Memories and Condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com.