Ritchie's locker was right above mine our senior year. He was so tall and I am so short. He always graciously let me get to my locker first. It was hard to look at his locker the remainder of the school year. The funeral for his brother and him was a grim reminder that the good really do die young.
Ritchie and Gary are buried side by side at IOOF Cemetery in Indianola, Iowa. Their graves are listed on Find-A-Grave (www.findagrave.com). You may wish to visit their site to leave a message for their family and friends.
Ritchie was one of the first friends I made when I moved from country school to Irving in 3rd grade. There was never a better friend or family than Ritchie and his family. We all lost a friend and brother that terrible day.
Rich and I (he was known as Ritchie at Irving, when we met) took up the alto sax in 5th grade and had our weekly lesson together with Mr. (Pete) Peterson. We got to know each other through band, and then were in classes together over the years--I remember when the "farm kids" who'd previously attended country schools around the county enthusastically joined the town kids when the country school houses closed. Rich could've been a helluva sax player, but other interests intervened. We used to drive by his family's farm on the way to a New VIrginia farm my father bought when I was in jr. high. Rich and his brother and Dad were always in the front yard, I swear . . . His mother substitute taught and was also a woman of great integrity. His Dad, who is still alive, was an older version of Rich--tall and raw-boned. His and his older brother's tragic accidental death was the first real exposure we all had to losing one of our classmates . . .
In Junior High School, I played the saxaphone (not very well, I might add) and had the honor and pleasure of sitting next to Rich Heizner. He was one of the nicest and funniest guys you could imagine. It was the best part of being in band and I'll never forget him.
Judy Surber (Logan)
Rich along with his older brother died in 1969. April I believe...just before graduation. Judy Logan (Surber)Linda Pillow (Bilek)
Ritchie's locker was right above mine our senior year. He was so tall and I am so short. He always graciously let me get to my locker first. It was hard to look at his locker the remainder of the school year. The funeral for his brother and him was a grim reminder that the good really do die young.Ritchie and Gary are buried side by side at IOOF Cemetery in Indianola, Iowa. Their graves are listed on Find-A-Grave (www.findagrave.com). You may wish to visit their site to leave a message for their family and friends.
Roger Knouse
Ritchie was one of the first friends I made when I moved from country school to Irving in 3rd grade. There was never a better friend or family than Ritchie and his family. We all lost a friend and brother that terrible day.Mary Ford (Krier)
Rich and I (he was known as Ritchie at Irving, when we met) took up the alto sax in 5th grade and had our weekly lesson together with Mr. (Pete) Peterson. We got to know each other through band, and then were in classes together over the years--I remember when the "farm kids" who'd previously attended country schools around the county enthusastically joined the town kids when the country school houses closed. Rich could've been a helluva sax player, but other interests intervened. We used to drive by his family's farm on the way to a New VIrginia farm my father bought when I was in jr. high. Rich and his brother and Dad were always in the front yard, I swear . . . His mother substitute taught and was also a woman of great integrity. His Dad, who is still alive, was an older version of Rich--tall and raw-boned. His and his older brother's tragic accidental death was the first real exposure we all had to losing one of our classmates . . .
Jan McCord (Hale)
In Junior High School, I played the saxaphone (not very well, I might add) and had the honor and pleasure of sitting next to Rich Heizner. He was one of the nicest and funniest guys you could imagine. It was the best part of being in band and I'll never forget him.