Adele Elizabeth Richard

February 18, 1933 - June 9, 2017

Adele Elizabeth Richard, 84, of Benkelman, died June 9, 2017, in Lincoln, Neb. Adele was born on Feb. 18, 1933, to Joe and Fannie Barenberg on a farm 11 miles southeast of Atwood, Kan. She shares her birthday with a twin sister, Esther Caroline, who died when the twins were 18 days old due to pneumonia. The family lived south of Atwood until Adele was five years old. They then moved to a farm in the South Fork area. In 1941, they moved to the old Hines Ranch, five miles southeast of Benkelman which is still owned by her nephew, Steve Barenberg. Adele attended country school at District 31 through the eighth grade. She attended Benkelman High School and graduated in 1950. After graduation, Adele attended McCook Community College and taught District 31 the 1950-1951 school term. She went back to school that summer and then taught at the same school during the 1951-1952 term. Adele met Lawrence Richard when he returned home from service in the Korean War and they were married at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Benkelman on July 12, 1954. They lived for a short time north of St. Francis, Kan., and moved to Benkelman where they lived the rest of their lives. They were blessed with three children, Dixie, Kent and Dana Jo. On Aug. 18, 1952, Adele was employed by the Dundy County Production and Marketing Association (PMA) Office, later known as the Dundy County Agricultural and Soil Conservation Service (ASCS) office. She worked there for over 32 years and retired in February 1988. She enjoyed working with the farmers in the local area and all her co-workers. Adele spent many hours with Lawrence, friends and family fishing at Enders, Rock Creek and Swanson Lakes. Her family was always her number one priority and her community and church were close behind. She was active in the Saint Joseph Altar Society, American Legion Auxiliary, Boy Scouts, 4-H, the Extension "Coffee Cuppers" and was humbled and honored to receive the Benkelman "Good Guy" Award. Adele was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence; her twin sister, Esther; her parents; her brother, Walter Barenberg; her sister, Josephine Preston; her daughter, Dana Webster and her son, Shane Webster. Adele is survived by her daughter, Dixie Cobb of Lincoln and her husband, Wes; her son, Kent Richard of Lincoln and his wife, Patty and their children, Jessica, Deidre, Justin and Derek Richard; grandson, Seth Cobb of Lincoln and his wife, Marcelina and their two children, Josiah Lawrence and Aubrey Ann Adele Cobb; granddaugher, Sheila Long of Kearney, Neb., and her husband, Kade, and their two children, Micajah and Keller Long; son-in-law, Larry Webster of Lakeside, Neb.; her brother-in-law, Jerry Preston of Benkelman; her sister-in-law, Sharon Barenberg of Benkelman; her brother-in-law, Leonard Richard of St. Francis and his wife, Joann; her sister-in-law, Phyllis Whitmore of St. Francis and her husband, Don. Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Benkelman on June 19, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow at the Benkelman Cemetery. Rosary will be Sunday evening, June 18, 2017, at 7:30 p.m., also at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Memorials to be determined by the family including the Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Benkelman.