Richard C. Church Jr.

Age 81, of Miamisburg, passed away Dec. 8 after a brief illness. Dick was born April 6, 1941, to the late Richard and Nellie Church. He is also preceded in death by his older brother, James. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Dr. Judith Church.

Dick was raised in Miamisburg and lived nearly his entire life there. He graduated from Miamisburg High School in 1959, where he was a member of the marching band and editor of the school newspaper. Attending the annual Buckeye Boys State while a student was a life-changing event for Dick. He developed a deep interest in local government and told his friends afterward that he would someday become mayor. It was a vow he kept.

After attending Miami University for a short time after high school, he spent his early adult years working jobs such as police dispatcher and reporter for the Miamisburg News. He later became co-owner of the family business, Church’s Flowers. He was also active as a volunteer during those years serving on the City of Miamisburg Parks Board and the committee that wrote the city’s charter in the 1960s.

After retiring, Dick moved quickly to pursue his political dreams. He won a seat on Miamisburg City Council in 1987, and after one term ran for mayor as promised decades before. In a hard-fought campaign, he defeated the incumbent by 27 votes.

The position of mayor in Miamisburg is a part-time role, but Dick Church had a full-time passion. Over the next 28 years in the mayor’s chair, he proudly served his community and embraced the role of leadership. He adopted the slogan “Great things are happening” and worked tirelessly to make sure those words remained accurate. During his record-setting tenure, Miamisburg overcame the loss of its largest employer (Mound Lab), revitalized its historic downtown district, grew in both population and land size and evolved in many ways. While in office, he also served on many local, regional and national boards.

After leaving office, he became part-time administrator of the Mound Development Corp., which oversees the reuse of the Mound Business Park.

Visitation will be held in the Richard C. Church, Jr. City Council Chamber in the Miamisburg Civic Center on Tuesday, Dec. 13 from 3 to 8 p.m. A Masonic service will he held at 7:30 p.m. Funeral services will be held at St. Jacob Lutheran Church at 213 E. Central Avenue in Miamisburg on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at Hillgrove Cemetery, Miamisburg. Services are entrusted to GEBHART-SCHMIDT-PARRAMORE Funeral Home, Miamisburg.

Memorial contributions may be made in Dick’s memory to the Miamisburg Schools Education Foundation or to SICSA. Condolences may be expressed at www.gebhartschmidtparramore.com