Lt. Col. Richard “Dick” Lowell Rattray

Lt. Col. Richard “Dick” Lowell Rattray
Urbandale

Lt. Col. Richard “Dick” Lowell Rattray, 85, passed away peacefully at the Veterans Hospital in Des Moines, IA on Tuesday, April 18, 2017. Services will be held Monday, April 24, 2017 with the committal service at Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Adel, IA at 11:00 a.m. and a memorial service at 12:30 p.m. at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines, IA. Family will greet friends following the service.

Dick was born in Bedford, OH on December 28, 1931 to Edna (Anderson) and William Rattray. He graduated from Marcus High School in 1950 and from Westmar College in 1954 with his Bachelor’s in History. He later earned his Master’s Degree at South Dakota University in 1959 and worked on his Doctorate PhD at the Department of Education School of Administration in South Dakota.

Dick joined the Marine Corps Reserve on May 12, 1952 and served in the special 55th Infantry Company in Sioux City, IA after boot camp at Parris Island, SC. He retired in 1980 as a Lt. Colonel after 29 years of service. He was on every Marine base in the U.S. aside from Little Creek, PA and Yuma, AZ.

His civilian career was diverse. A middle and high school principal from 1959 to 1966, economic opportunity from 1966 to 1969, and vocational rehabilitation from 1969 to 1994. He was also an expert analyst on Social Security and Workman’s Comp court cases.

Dick was a member of numerous military service organizations and played football in high school and college.

He is survived by his children, Denice (Geary) Meyer, William Rattray, Neil (Theresa) Rattray, Murray (Janice) Rattray, Kim Huntsinger, and Jon Rattray; 12 grandchildren; and 5 great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Gold Star Museum at Camp Dodge or to the VA Hospice. Condolences may be expressed online at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

Print