Russell E. Rich

MOUNT PLEASANT ? Russell E. Rich, 83, of Wayland, formerly of Lockridge, died Saturday, May 21, 2011, in the Henry County Health Center in Mount Pleasant.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 am. Wednesday, May 25, at the Murphy Funeral Home in Mount Pleasant with the Rev. Dianne Brokken officiating. Burial will be at the Forest Home Cemetery. Friends may call after 2 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, where the family will be present from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials may be directed to the Wayland First Responders or to the American Cancer Society.

Mr. Rich was born May 30, 1927, in Henry County, the son of Velma Rich Messer. He married Ina Crile on Nov. 8, 1950, at the First Lutheran Church in Mount Pleasant.

He was raised by his grandparents, David and Naomi Rich. He attended Douglas School at Merrimac. He worked for Nebel Trucking of Wayland, Peterson Implement, Supply Coop, Biggs Feed and Grain and Messer Feed, all of Mount Pleasant. He owned a poultry business and farmed in the Lockridge community until his retirement in 1999, when he moved to Wayland.

Surviving are his wife; five children, Maxine Borglum and husband Jim of Waverly, Beverly Ray of Granger, Michael Rich and wife Cheryl of Mount Pleasant, Gary Rich of Mount Pleasant, and Keith Rich and wife Trudy of Lockridge; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; three sisters, Norma Meyer and husband Jim of Wayland, Ruth Messer of Wayland, and Liz Rugg and husband Fred of Wayland; two brothers, Roger Messer and wife Vern of Williford, Ark., and David Messer and wife Jackie of Knoxville, Tenn.; and one sister-in-law, Mildred Rich of Wayland.

He was preceded in death by his mother; his grandparents; and one brother, Robert Rich.