Richard Arthur Janssen

He was born on April 12, 1941, to Genevieve (Lodahl) & James Janssen in Chippawa Falls, Wisconsin where he was raised on the family dairy farm. At 18 years of age, He then left the family farm to join the Naval branch of the US military in order to serve his country. During his service he flew Lockheed U-2 high Altitude Reconnaissance planes during the Vietnam war. For his dedication of service, Dick Janssen received the Medal of Honor & an honorable discharge at the end of his service requirements. After the service he eventually ended up in Kansas City where he met his loving wife Martha (Young), they were married for 53 years.

Dick and Marty lived in Lake Lotawana and moved to Blue Springs Mo after he retired from the Union Pipe Fitters Local 533. Dick enjoyed life to the fullest waking up every day with a smile & going to sleep with the same happy look on his face. He participated in the local sportsman’s club, ducks unlimited and was lifetime members in both. Dick went on trips hunting to Canada and Colorado for elk and caribou and never missed turkey or deer season. He enjoyed being active & spent a lot of time down at his cabin, hunting & woodworking in his shop. He loved to go to the local craft shows to sell his tables, lamps, and chest. He loved restoring furniture and antiques to their naturally beauty. He shared the cabin with his friends and family, he especially enjoyed the time that he was with his grandkids Logan, Ayden and Nathan teaching them everything he knew about hunting and woodworking at the cabin. He loved to travel and experience different cultures, walks on the beach shell collecting, snorkeling, zip lining, and deep-sea fishing.

Dick leaves his wife Marty, his 5 girls Michelle, Susan, Annette, Amanda and Andrea, his 5 son in-laws Brian, John, Buddy, Greg and Bryan as well as his grandchildren Michael, Logan, Ayden and Nathan. His siblings, Sharon (Steve), Larry, Ginny (Bill) and Mary (Doug).

We will be celebrating Dick’s life on July 14th, 2023, at the Mill Room at 1201 West Main Street, Blue Springs, Missouri 64015 from 5pm to 9pm. We will have appetizers and local cocktails. Please feel free to swing by or come and stay and remember him. In lieu of flowers we are asking for donations to Tunnels to Towers Donate Now - Tunnel to Towers Foundation (t2t.org)