God's Gift to Marland—

"Sometimes we make a choice in life based on instinct or the act of God. I believe there were three events that resulted in having my wife, Lila, in my life, 4 children, 8 grandchildren, and 9 great grandchildren for 74 years. She was responsible for whom I became. She supported me. My job was to take care of her, which I did to the best of my ability."

Marland Richard, September 11, 2021

Marland wanted to join the Navy when he was 17 living in Morton, Illinois with his family. But he was underage and his parents wouldn't sign for him unless he moved to Huron, South Dakota with them. He agreed, but when he arrived in June 1946, he went to work for his dad as a painter instead of joining the Navy (Event No. 1). He also started boxing and later became the State Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion.

He was content with his life until one day, his brother showed him a small high school picture of Lila he got from a friend, and Mar immediately fell in love with a woman he never met (Event No. 2). One month later, when he got up the nerve, he drove to Arlington, 55 miles away, and asked this beautiful woman out on a date (Event No. 3). And one year later, on September 19, 1948, they got married.

Mar worked as a locomotive fireman for a few years with the CNW Railroad and then joined the South Dakota National Guard, which took him and his growing family to Colorado, Alaska, and finally to Rapid City where eventually, he became second in command of the South Dakota National Guard.

He was a steadfast member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church where he and Lila sang in the choir, was an avid model railroad builder, and publisher of a military newsletter. He enjoyed watching his son Jamie's baseball games so much, he drove the team's bus for years. He also loved to keep in touch with his kids. So, he and Lila bought an RV and traveled all over the country for years visiting family and friends.

Surviving Family: wife, Lila Richard, brother, Loren Richard, Children: Cheryl (Richard) and Denny Buswell, Steve and Debbie Richard, Jill (Richard) Shorak, Jamie and Angel Richard. Preceded in death by: his parents, Homer and Edna Richard, brother, Ronald Richard, sisters, Judy (Richard) Borcherding, Linda (Richard) Collins.