Richard Otto Ahrendt

Richard Otto Ahrendt was born September 22, 1919, in the hill country of East Texas. He departed this life in Del City, Oklahoma, November 26, 2016, with the blessed assurance of eternal life through his Christian faith.

Ahrendt entered the military before Pearl Harbor, earning a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps. Discharged at the end of the war, he worked for International Harvester in Bryan and Austin, Texas. When the Korean War started in June 1950, he joined the Air Force, and served until retirement as a Captain and then a Major. His duty tours included such diverse places as Iceland, Egypt, Korea, and Iraq. Following military retirement, he worked for many years as a civilian employee at Tinker Air Force Base. During World War II, Ahrendt married Marie Wilson on October 23, 1943. The couple met on a blind date in 1939 in Austin, TX. Their loving union lasted until Marie's death July 13, 2000. One child was born to the union, Mary Carrol.

Ahrendt lived in his home until a few days before his death. He planted a vegetable garden every year, did his own shopping and cooking, and took care of the house and yard. Ahrendt loved to fish, play dominoes and 42, hunt, and be with his family. Beginning in the mid 1950s when they moved to Midwest City, he and Marie were active members of First Baptist Church, Midwest City. For decades, Ahrendt ran the sound system, recording services for those unable to attend.

Ahrendt was preceded in death by his wife, Marie, his daughter, Mary Creel, his grandson, Cory Creel, and his beloved dog, Tasha. He is survived by his grandson, Chris Creel, his granddaughter, Caren Barge and husband Jesse, son in law, Von Creel, and the lights of his life, great grandsons, Cody and Carson Creel. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, November 30, 2016, at Bill Eisenhour Funeral Home, 8805 Northeast 23rd, Oklahoma City. Services will be 2:00 p.m., Thursday, December 1, 2016, at First Baptist Church of Midwest City, 705 East Rickenbacker Drive with interment to follow at Arlington Memory Gardens.

Arrangements under the direction of Bill Eisenhour Funeral Home, Oklahoma City, OK.