|
| |
Richard Dean Bland © Enid News and Eagle 08-11-2018 Submitted by: Glenn
|
October 26, 1925 - August 08, 2018
Richard Dean "Dick" (RD) Bland,92, Enid, passed away Wednesday, August 8, 2018, following a short illness.
Visitation is 5:30-7:00 p.m. Monday, August 13, 2018, at Anderson-Burris Funeral Home.
Graveside service is 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 14, 2018, at the Enid Cemetery with Curt Johnston officiating.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Anderson-Burris Funeral Home.
RD was born in Enid October 26, 1925, to Orin T. and Goldye Bland. He had a twin brother, Dwain. They graduated from Enid High School and both young men begged their parents to enlist in the Army Air Corps.
RD was stationed in Ridgewell, England, with the 381st Bomb group, the Bat Out of Hell Squadron, as a waist gunner on a B-17, the Fox.
On a bombing raid over Brux, Czechoslovakia, Feb. 14, 1945, the Fox was hit and the crew bailed out. RD was taken prisoner of war and declared missing in action.
He was honorably discharged in Dec. 1945, and received the Purple Heart.
Wednesday, November 14, 1945, he married Frances Johnson. He worked a variety of jobs and ran his own electrical business until retiring at the age of 70.
RD was an avid fisherman and hunter along with his brother Dwain. They enjoyed taking many celebrities and businessmen on hunts during the Grand National Quail Hunt.
In 2014, RD was awarded the Woodring Wall of Honor Legacy Veteran of the Year. RD loved spending time with his grandkids and the great-grandchildren provided so much joy in his later years.
He is survived by his daughter, Lisa and husband, Mark Selix of Enid; son, Richard O. Bland and wife, O' Rita, Tomball, TX.
Grandchildren, Richard Cody Bland and Tyler Bland, Portland, OR; Cole and Amy Selix, Moore; Matt and Rae Selix, Enid; Maggie and Michael Hudson, Del City. Great-grandchildren, Xander and Edie Selix, Moore; Trace and Buck, Enid.
RD was preceded in death by his parents, brother, wife, Frances, and daughter, Dana.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Wounded Warriors or Disabled American Veterans, with the funeral home acting as custodian. Condolences may be made online at www.AndersonBurris.com.
|Enid Cemetery Page| |Garfield County Cemetery Page| |Home|
This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent.
All rights reserved! Commercial use of material within this site is prohibited!
© 2000-2024 Oklahoma CemeteriesThe information on this site is provided free for the purpose of researching your genealogy. This material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, for your own research, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The information contained in this site may not be copied to any other site without written "snail-mail" permission. If you wish to have a copy of a donor's material, you must have their permission. All information found on these pages is under copyright of Oklahoma Cemeteries. This is to protect any and all information donated. The original submitter or source of the information will retain their copyright. Unless otherwise stated, any donated material is given to Oklahoma Cemeteries to make it available online. This material will always be available at no cost, it will always remain free to the researcher.