Richard Dick Hruby, 79, died Monday, June 16, 2008 at his farm.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Friday, June 20, 2008 at Silverton Church in Silverton Township, rural Thief River Falls, MN with Pastor George Davis officiating. Burial will follow at Silverton Cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the American Legion Ecklund-Holmstrom Post #117 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #2793 of Thief River Falls, MN.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm on Thursday, June 19, 2008 with a 7:00 pm prayer service at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, MN. Visitation will also be held from 9:30 am until the time of the service on Friday at the church.

Richard Donald Hruby, Sr. was born on December 16, 1928 the second son of Vasclav James and Antonia Nettie (Burianek) Hruby in Mavie, MN and attended Banner Elementary School.

Dick enlisted into service with the United States Army on May 9, 1946, at Fort Snelling, MN. He was ordered to Italy in November of 1946 with the 752nd Tank Batallion 88th Infantry Division. May, 1948, he was ordered to the Free Territory of Tieste and served with the 15th Medium Tank Company until discharged in April, 1949. Dick enlisted in the Army Reserve in April, 1949 and was recalled to active duty October, 1950, to serve in Korea with the Medium Tank Company, 91st Calvary Recon. Battalion, Ft. Riley, Kansas. He was Honorably Discharged November, 1951.

Dick graduated from the Thief River Falls AVTI with certification in the repair and rewind of Electric Motors.

On March 9, 1952 Richard Hruby was united in marriage to Evelyn Kristine Bondley in Silverton Lutheran Church, Silverton Township, rural Thief River Falls, MN. Dick and Evie made their home in Thief River Falls and to this union two sons were born, Richard, Jr. and Michael. They build a new house on North Arnold Avenue in Thief River Falls in 1958 and lived there until moving to a farm in Silverton Township, which they purchased from Evies parents in 1964. Dick worked at Wilson Bros. in Thief River Falls for over 30 years and retired in 1989. He also farmed from 1964 until 1979 when his sons took over the farm.

Dick enjoyed cutting and splitting wood, gardening with Evie, bird watching, ice fishing, making wine, and waging war with the squirrels and rabbits in his yard.

Survivors include his wife, Evelyn; sons, Richard (Joan) Hruby, Jr., and Michael (Carla) Hruby all of Thief River Falls; seven grandsons, Jason (Ginger), Tim (Alissa), Brian, Craig, Jon, Nathan and Little Jon LJ ; great-grandson, Logan; great-granddaughter, Madeline; sister-in-law, Margery Hruby; sisters, Donna (Irvin) Mellem, Rosalie Wilson and Phyllis Jorgenson; and several nieces and nephews.

Dick is preceded in death by his parents; brother, James; and sister, Beverly Alhman.