Edward Richard (Dick) Seefried

Edward Richard Seefried, Dick, Dad, Grampie, Papa was born January 5, 1922 in Iowa City, Iowa to Anton Wilhelm & (Hilke) Helen Schneiderman Seefried. He was the sixth of eight children and the third oldest son. His Mom, Helen, bore three girls, (Olive) Ollie and then two others which died.

They were blessed with five sons:

Louis William-never married. (Fourteen years after Louie's death, Dad shared his date of death-March 24, 2010.)

William Louis married Charlotte; they had one baby girl that passed away.

Edward Richard (Dad/Dick) married Dottie; they had five children.

After 38 years of marriage to Dottie, he married Thelma Welker.

Vernon Lloyd married Jeannette and they had a daughter, Polly.

Stanley Benjamin married Inez and they had three daughters.

Dick’s dad, Anton, also know as Papa, was from Austria. Anton was born February 15, 1886 in Vienna Austria, the son of Anton and Patricia Wise Seefried. Anton hopped a ship at the age of 12 and sailed to Hamburg, Germany. He also sailed to Cape Town, Africa to visit his aunt, Dr. Daisy Meade. During World War II, there were well-known government officials that would visit with Anton in Iowa. Winston Churchill visited. The full details of this are unknown. (Please see enclosed newspaper article.) He came directly to Cedar Falls, Iowa in 1906. He married Helen Schneiderman on July 14, 1911 in Waterloo, Iowa. Anton passed away October 10, 1972 at the age of 86.

Dick’s mom, Helen (Hilke) was born December 10, 1887 in Grundy County, Iowa, the daughter of Tonges and Altge (Didimus) Schneiderman. Dick’s mom, Helen, went to school in Germany. She was a very good student. She had difficulties in her schooling due to the lessons being taught in both English and German. Helen passed away December 15, 1977 at the age of 90.

Dad lived in Iowa most of his life. Dad remembered Vern being born in Cedar Falls, Iowa when he was just two years old. His family moved from Cedar Rapids to LaSalle, Illinois to a new home about Christmas time. Stan was born in LaSalle (Lima), Illinois.

Dad started school on his fifth birthday in Peru, Illinois. He was sick on his first day of school and his fifth birthday. Dad received a gift of a rubber ball from a lady that worked at the dime store. He didn’t know what a birthday present was because he had never had one before this birthday. Most of the people that lived in Lima he remembered as being Catholic. He remembered as far back as his early years in Cedar Falls before he turned five years old.*

Dad asked the Lord into his life November 1, 1935. He was baptized in the spring or summer in the Cedar River in Waterloo, Iowa in 1936. It was too cold to be baptized in the winter months in Iowa. He tried to be a testimony to others as a young boy through his actions. He would frequent the Gospel Hall and on the walls hung plaques of salvation scriptures. Dad said you would automatically memorize them from reading them week in and week out.

Dad’s favorite Bible verse was Isaiah 53:5, “But he was wounded for our transgression, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement (for) our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.” Dad could never read this to me (Trisha) without crying. He loved all the old gospels and would sit and listen to them either on TV or from recordings. He had all the Gaither Brother’s videos. As his health declined and he couldn’t attend church weekly, he would faithfully watch Adrian Rogers on TV. If I (Trisha) would call when it was time for the broadcast to come on, he’d ask if he could call back. He cherished these messages. Even after Adrian Rogers passed away he’d watch the reruns or the recordings he had of him. Dad read his Bible daily. He loved to study the Old Testament and tell us the history of the Bible. One of the CNAs at Chris Ridge would sing the old gospels to Dad and he’d correct her telling her “it goes like this.” He enjoyed singing the old hymns..

September 1940, along with three other guys, Dad went to a roller skating rink. Out of four sassy teenage girls Dad had his eyes set on Mom. He’d proudly tell you that she was the prettiest one out of all of them. The four guys and girls rode in Dottie’s car. She didn’t have a license yet. Dad said Mom and he discussed their faith and love of the Lord shortly after they started dating. Dad met Mom’s parents the day after they met at the skating rink. From the stories Dad told me, it sounds like Mom was a “new-Christian/Baptist”. She and her parents were all saved at the same time. Dad grew up in the Christian faith. Dad said from the first day he and Mom met that they were inseparable.

December 6th, Dad hitchhiked from California to Phoenix. Dad worked for Thrifty Drug Store in Long Beach, California two days a week. He met Shake Davis, a life-long friend. Shake helped get Dad a job at the shipyards. Dad’s boss, Rupreck, was like a mentor to him. He was more interested in advancing Dad’s skills in drafting. On a jaunt to Phoenix, he and Shake stayed at a hotel on Jefferson and Central Avenue. Dad heard shooting and was alarmed by the noise. He was told someone had a won a card game! There were tables set up and down the street for card games and dancing. He left the next morning for Globe, Arizona. Dottie was in Iowa with Ivan and Freda, her parents. They weren’t married yet.

While in Dodge City, Kansas, on his way back home to Iowa, President Roosevelt declared war on Germany and Japan. Mom was working as a fountain clerk (soda jerk) at Walgreen’s. She stayed with her Great Aunt Ida in Waterloo. Freda was sick with scarlet fever and was quarantined. Dad said he and Mom saw each other every night when he returned.

Dad got his car working when he returned to Iowa. Dad’s Mom made two car payments for Dad in the amount of $12.each. Dad always regretted not paying her back. Dad started working at Iowa Transmission Company.

April 17, 1942, Dick and Dottie wed in a formal church wedding in Iowa.

Dick, Dad’s and Mom’s first child was born November 18, 1942 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Dad was flying in Mason, City. Dottie and Freda were hanging laundry out the basement window to hurry Dottie’s delivery along. Dottie’s water broke in the middle of the night and she didn’t tell anyone until the next morning. Mom was very innocent and naïve. They lived at 102 Leonard Street, Waterloo, Iowa. Ivan took Dick and Dottie to the hospital the next morning. Freda didn’t go as she was working at Montgomery Wards and couldn’t take time off. Ivan saw Dick the same day he was born. His first grandson!

Dad said he was devoted to Mom and would do anything for her. Mom was in love with Dad. Ivan, aka Grampie, was a wonderful, loving father-in-law to Dad. Very affectionate. Dad became like a son to Grampie. Dad loved Grammie & Grampie and even in his later years would recall fond memories of them.

Dad attended Junior College in Mason City, Iowa. August 23, 1942, Dad enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He traveled all over the county for training in finance/accounting, Dead Stick Flying School, Radio CW from Hamilton, Florida, Okmulgee, Oklahoma, Ft. Lewis, Washington, Presidio, San Francisco to Aberdeen, Maryland through the years of 1943 to 1953. His brother Vern was in the service in France; and his other brother, Stan was in the Navy.

At twenty-one years of age he had secret security clearance. One of his military assignments was being a cryptologist. He was awarded honors for being a sharpshooter and other military achievements. He was schooled at Ft. MacArthur, San Pedro, California for installation intelligence; had specialized training in SAEDA (Subversion and Espionage Directed Against the U.S. Army), Geneva Convention, Code of Conduct and various other specialties.

Dad and Mom continued growing their family with a total of three sons and two girls:

Reverend, Doctor Richard Seefried

Donald Seefried

James Seefried

Patricia Seefried (Morrison)

Sandra Seefried (Martindale)

Dad and Mom lived in San Francisco with Grampie and Grammie. While Grampie recovered as best possible from having survived an electrocution while working for APS as a lineman. They moved to Globe, Arizona. They settled in Phoenix, Arizona to raise their family. Dad and Mom would tell us about living on Osborn Road; in the north mountain area of Phoenix recalling a story of the neighbor having a Japanese servant that put glass in his food during World War II; and having to cool their house by buying blocks of ice with a fan blowing over it. They had a short bout of living in Hayward, California and then back to Phoenix.

Dad went from the Air Force to the Army to the Air National Guard. He held several jobs in between his military years at Sears Roebuck, Banker’s Life-selling insurance and Montgomery Wards. When the family was short on money he always managed to find a second job, pumping gas, selling, etc. He wasn’t afraid to work. Retiring at fifty-years old as CWO (Chief Warrant Officer) he traveled selling Indian Jewelry in their motor home.

In 1981, sadly after 38 years of marriage, Mom and Dad divorced. Dad always stayed in love with Mom. In 1988 he married a Christian lady, Thelma. They traveled the county in their motor homes, enjoying the friendship of friends and family from Yuma to North Dakota. They had fourteen years together before she passed away, May 8, 2002, from breast cancer. Estranged from his kids for many years, four of the five children reconciled with him in his latter years.

Dad had eight grandchildren:

James Seefried, Deborah Friend, Heather Sands, Gretchen Botts, Richard Seefried, Stephen Seefried, Loren Seefried, and Jordan Morrison. Five of the eight grandchildren made it a point to visit him while in the nursing home and when they came to town.

He had ten great-grandchildren:

A.J. Friend, Daniel Friend, Anika Sands, Gavin Sands, Nathan Botts, Bridgette Botts, Juliana Botts, Kianna Seefried, CJ Seefried and Mia Seefried.

Prior to Dad going into a health care facility, Mom and he reunited, first at Jordan’s high school graduation and then while Dad was in the hospital. This made Dad’s “life” ! He was so grateful for Mom’s forgiveness and her willingness to visit with him. He cherished every visit. Dad’s health deteriorated and he spent the last 2.5-3 years in a care facility. We were fortunate to have good care at Chris Ridge Senior Living Community for him. It was close to Trisha’s house and allowed Jim and Sandy the convenience of being able to visit him often/daily.

While he had dementia for the last 1-2 years his spirits were good and he was pleasant and loving to all his caretakers and family. During the years of dementia, he would ask about Mom and tell us that we needed to go get her that she was waiting for him to pick her up at the bus stop. She was still on his mind. Don, Jim, Sandy and Trisha are thankful for the last years that allowed them to reunite with Dad.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010: Dad's room was filled with Chris Ridge caretakers, Destiny and Kimmers, (and others coming an going) Hospice 11th Hour Companion Specialist, Linda Burns and Trisha. We were all reminicing about Dad-how he loved to have people around and loved to laugh. How he yelled all day on his birthday, January 5, 2010, for his best friend, John Roberts. (Trisha told him he'd be there if he could as Jiggs/John (and LaWanda) would visit Dad every birthday. Come to find out, they had been there and Dad was trying to tell Trisha.) How he'd call out for "Jim Seefried", his son. Trisha kissed Dad, told him Mom was waiting for him with open arms. He opened eyes, looked at Trisha and took his last breath. Wlecome Home, Dad!

Dad's body was donated to Research For Life.

(*Inserts of this synopsis were narrated to Trisha Morrison five years before Dick passed away when he was reminiscing.)