Richard Dick Dreher

Richard “Dick” R. Dreher, 80, of Wamego, Kansas, passed away Friday, April 18, 2008 in Manhattan, Kansas. Dick was born on March 10, 1928 in Gorham, Kansas, the son of Richard Joseph and Mary M. (Hoff) Dreher. He attended school in Gorham. Following school, he served in the Army Air Force for two years before his honorable discharge. On September 23, 1950, he married Jessie L. Shelton at Assumption Catholic Church in Topeka, Kansas. She survives of the home. Dick spent his entire working career in the grocery business. He started in Topeka at the Tilton’s Grocery Store and then purchased the Goff and Drier Grocery Store, operating it with a partner as Dick and Dean’s Super Saver for several years. In 1965, he moved to Wamego when he started as manager of the Trivett’s Thriftway, which he purchased in 1970 and owned and operated as Dick’s Thriftway until 1992 and retiring. He was a past member of the Dutch Mill Swingers, Associated Wholesale Grocers, served on the Wamego Housing Authority Board of Directors, and volunteered his help with the Tuttle Creek Lake Association youth fishing clinics. Survivors include his wife Jessie, of Wamego, KS; his son, Richard Dreher and his wife Robyn, of Wamego, KS; two daughters, Denise Stultz and Darla Dreher Spence and her husband James, all of Manhattan, KS; three brothers Larry Dreher and Lyle Dreher, of Topeka, KS, and Fred Dreher, of Tecumseh, KS; one sister, Mary Jo Mohlman, of Bonner Springs, KS; and three granddaughters, Sally and Hillary Dreher, and Anneliese Spence. He was preceded in death by his brother Marion and a sister Marlene Fusaro. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Wamego, with burial following in St. Bernard’s Cemetery. A Rosary will be recited Monday at 7:00 p.m. at the Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego, followed by a visitation until 8:30 p.m. Mr. Dreher will lie in-state at the funeral home beginning at 2:00 p.m. Monday. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Tuttle Creek Lake Assoc.-Youth Fishing Clinic, or, the St. Peter’s Cemetery at Big Springs, KS. Contributions may be left in care of Stewart Funeral Home, P.O. Box 48, Wamego, 66547.