Richard E. Houk

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Richard "Dick" Houk, age 92, of West Jefferson, Ohio, passed on Tuesday, July 7,  2020. Dick was born and raised in Marion, Ohio, where he met the love of his life, wife Betty Morse, before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1948. Dick's military career began in finance with basic training at San Antonio, Texas.  He was then assigned to the Finance Office at Ft. Benjamin Harris in Indianapolis, Indiana.  He continued in finance at Adak Aleutian Islands, Alaska, and McChord Air Force Base near Tacoma, Washington. While at McChord, Dick was recruited in December 1954 into the Office of Special Investigations "O.S.I." and trained as a special agent investigator and polygraph examiner.  His next assignment was at Wright Patterson Air Force Base followed by four years stationed near London, England. In 1963, Dick was discharged from the Air Force and appointed as a Warrant Officer in the U.S. Army.  In the Army Criminal Investigation Division "C.I.D.," Dick's assignments included tours of duty at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, Korea, Ft. Sheridan, Illinois, and the Panama Canal Zone. Dick retired as a Chief Warrant Officer 3 on March 31, 1971, after twenty-three years of active duty, and exactly 20 years to the day that he and Betty were married. Upon his retirement from the military, he worked for and retired from the State of Ohio's Bureau of Criminal Investigation in London, Ohio as a Supervising Polygraph Examiner. Known for his well-groomed handle-bar mustache, and mischievous grin, Dick enjoyed his retirement years fishing at his cabin in Canada and traveling with Betty.  He is preceded in death by his parents William and Frances (Scarf) Houk; bride of sixty-two years, Betty (Morse) Houk, six brothers and sisters, brother-in-law Robert Haverback, sister-in-law Marolyn Morse,  son-in-law Stephen Swingle, and many life-long friends. Dick will be forever missed and lovingly remembered by his children: Janet (Paul) Papin, Brenda Swingle, William (Krista) Houk; grandchildren: Eric (Sarah) Papin, Timothy Papin, Alysann Jones (Joseph Sparks), Adam (Virginia)  Jones, Lena Myers, Nicholas (Annie) Houk, Gregory Houk, Samuel Houk, and Savanna Houk; great-grandchildren: Magdalen Foster, Jacob Foster, Eliott Foster, and Paxton Houk: brother-in-law Ed Morse, and sister-in-law Erma Haverback. He will also be deeply missed and fondly remembered by many family members and dear friends. Memorial donations may be directed to the DAV – Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH  45250 or the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675, or any other military organization of the donor’s choice. The family will receive friends on Saturday, July 18, 2020, from 11 AM to 12 Noon at the RADER-McDONALD-TIDD FUNERAL HOME, 1355 W Main Street, West Jefferson, Ohio 43162, where the Funeral Service with Military Honors/Celebration of Life will be held at 12 Noon.  For those who will be attending the services, formal attire is optional, however, the CDC guidelines for wearing face coverings and social distancing will be followed.