Richard was born on December 5, 1939, in State Center, Iowa to Kenneth and Louise Pyle. He passed away peacefully at his home in Chadron, Nebraska surrounded by family on April 15, 2024. Richard graduated from Northwest Missouri State College with a bachelor's degree in education. He was a proud member of the National Guard from 1964-1969; serving in Missouri, New Mexico and Colorado. He met his first wife Judith while working at Glacier National Park during the summer of 1963. Together they had two daughters. Richard later met and married Charlyn in Lakewood, Colorado, where they lived with her 2 children for 22 years. They moved to Chadron, Nebraska in 2001 to escape city life and be closer to Charlyn’s family. He made many friends and became known for his love and knowledge of cars. Charlyn has many memories of him diagnosing problems with cars from the kitchen table as they drove down the street just by the sound of the automobile. He had a passion for teaching as well and was happiest when helping someone with an automotive problem while teaching what he was fixing at the same time. He liked driving and showing his cars whenever possible. He enjoyed drag racing and the people he met while doing it. While teaching automotive classes at Arapahoe Community College he was more than willing to give up summer vacations to participate in the high school racing series at Bandimere Speedway to promote programs at the college and recruit new students. Richard was a regular at car shows and won several awards over the years. Richard loved music, he was a good singer and dancer. He played the electric steel guitar in Junior High School, won a contest singing “How Great Thou Art” in High School and sang baritone in a quartet. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Charlyn; sister, Joyce Pyle; daughter, Gina (Jeremy) Wilson; daughter, Tracy Silvers; daughter, Debbie Terrell; son, David Terrell, five grandchildren and many other friends and family. Services will be at Chamberlain Chapel on May 18th, 2024, at 10:00 am with Rev. Russ Seger officiating. The service will also be live streamed for those that can’t make it. The family would like memorials to go to the First Congregational Church of Chadron or the VFW.
