Richard W. Sudbeck, 73, passed away July 20, 2024, at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, Seneca, Kansas, as a result of a fall he sustained while working on his farm.

Richard was born January 24, 1951, the second of seven children born to Clemens and Cyrilla Bergman Sudbeck at Axtell, Kansas.  He grew up on a farm five miles north of Seneca and attended school at St. Benedict, Kansas, from 1^st through 9^th grades, then attended B&B High School at Baileyville, Kansas, graduating in 1969.  After high school, he attended NCK Area Vo-Tech School, Beloit, Kansas, for one year studying farm mechanics. He worked for the Seneca Implement Co. for several months before joining the U.S. Army Reserves.   He served for six years in the Reserves.   He married his high school sweetheart, Betty Holthaus, in Baileyville, Kansas, on May 6, 1972, and began his life-long career of farming on a farm 5½ miles north of Seneca.  Here they raised their three children, Carla, Dean, and Michael.  He loved raising cattle and crops alongside his wife.   Besides farming, he was employed by Nemaha County as a truck driver and retired from there in 2011 after 25 years. He continued to farm with his son, Dean. In 2001 they built a new home in Seneca and enjoyed the combination of country and city living.

He was a life-long member of St. Mary’s Church at St. Benedict, Kansas, where he served on the Parish Council and the Cemetery Board for many years.  He enjoyed his time making many improvements to the parish cemetery.  He had a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and regularly attended the Wednesday night rosary during the summer months at the grotto in St. Benedict.  He volunteered his time and took great pride in being part of the American Legion Firing Squad at numerous local funerals.

His greatest joy through the years was spending time watching his kids and grandkids in all their sporting events and activities, always ready to go no matter how far he had to travel.  He relished the time he could spend with his 12 grandchildren, who were his pride and joy and he thoroughly enjoyed when they stopped by to visit. Richard always shared a smile and was never at a loss for conversation with anyone he met.  He brought a lot of joy and laughter to people’s lives, and was always ready to serve someone else. His love for children prompted him to open their home to several foster kids.  He loved to keep things tidy on his farms and kept his chainsaw and sprayer near, never letting a stray tree or weed survive.

He will be greatly missed by his wife of 52 years, Betty, his three children, Carla Johnson, and husband David, grandchildren, Creighton, Kyra, Katie, and Courtney Johnson; Dean, and his wife Julie, and grandchildren, Ella, Ben, and Ty Sudbeck; and Michael, and his wife Amy, and grandchildren, Carter, Zoey, Nola, and twins Maggie and Audrey Sudbeck.

He is also survived by siblings, Katie (Rick) Heinen, Kenny (Ellen) Sudbeck, Don (Nancy) Sudbeck, Jeanne Holthaus, and John (Theresa) Sudbeck, and in-laws, Betty Sudbeck, Harlan Holthaus, Galen (Sharon) Holthaus, Rosalee (Bob) Stimac, Elaine (Bill) O’Connor, Nancy (Don) Sudbeck, and Joanie (Arlyn) Holthaus.

Besides his parents, Clem and Cyrilla, he is preceded in death by a brother, Jim, brothers-in-law, Nick Holthaus and Roy Dalinghaus, and sister-in-law, Georgina Holthaus.

A visitation with rosary will be held on Monday, July 22^nd, at 6:00 PM at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Seneca, Kansas.  Because his home parish church is under renovation, his Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Seneca on Tuesday, July 23^rd , at 10:00 AM, with burial at the St. Mary’s Parish Cemetery in St. Benedict, Kansas.