Richard A. "Dick" Horsly

Richard Allen Horsly was a loving husband, father and grandfather who earned the respect of many. He was friendly and polite, attentive and caring. He could talk to anyone and never made any enemies. Family meant the world to him, and he put their needs before his own in keeping with his deep Christian faith. Richard Allen was born December 16, 1935 in Vanceburg, Kentucky at a time when families were trying to make life pleasant during the Great Depression. They relied on the simple joys of gathering round the radio to listen to news, music and sports or to be encouraged by President Franklin Roosevelts Fireside Chats. Richards parents, James and Emogene (Carroll) Horsly, divorced when he was very young. She remarried, and the family eventually grew to seven with the births of Meredith, Rhonda, Rodney and Jennifer. Growing up along the banks of the Ohio River in Portsmouth, Ohio, Richard was eager to explore, which at times got him into trouble. Fishing the river was okay, but when he went swimming in the river, his parents became very upset for good reason. The Ohio River was quite dangerous in their area, and no doubt they preferred his tamer choice of sportbaseball. When Richard was 15, his stepfather moved the family to Muskegon, Michigan for his work, and they settled in the Jackson Hill area. At age 17, Dick left school and fudged his age so he could get a job at Shaw Walker making office furniture. When management found out he was under age, Dick had to leave, and not long after he enlisted in the US Air Force Just after the Korean War. Stationed in Okinawa and other Japanese islands, he served as a radar man with the Air Force for four years. Upon his honorable discharge, Richard returned to Muskegon and soon met the woman he would marry. Attending a party at his cousins house, Dick laid eyes on Constance Connie Carpenter and immediately fell in love. The two married three months later on February 5, 1959, and by the end of the year they were parents with the birth of their son Rick. He joined his sister Diane who had come to live with Dick and Connie. Actually, Diane was Connies 5-year old sister. She was so attached to Connie that the newlyweds made an unusual but loving commitment to raise Diane as their own daughter. Then in 1962, their son Troy was born and the family eventually settled into a house on Mann Street in the Lakeside area of Muskegon, which they called home for 33 years. Dick had worked at a gas station for a brief period before finding his way back to Shaw Walker. This time, he was welcomed as a valued employee. He served the company for over 36 years in various positions, including shipping and security. On the side, Dick also earned his real estate license and sold for several agencies. Over time, he bought and managed rental properties, doing much the upkeep and repairs with the help of his friend Ralph Winters. When their family was young, Dick and Connie had camped with the kids and traveled to fun spots like Cedar Point or Mackinaw Island. Often times, they spent weekends at a trailer they owned on Campbell Lake near Hesperia, Michigan, where Dick and his sons hunted and fished. Once the children were grown, he and Connie liked going on bus trips with the Orchard View Travelers to Florida or such destinations as Branson, Missouri. But back home, there was nothing more enjoyable than having their grandchildren visit. Dick loved spending lots of time with them and it showed. They had sleepovers, went to movies at the Harbor Theater and took trips to Ettermans grocery store. Dick often brought home big cardboard boxes from work and had a great time making forts with the grandkids. He especially liked Halloween time because he got to see all the kids dressed up in their costumes. Dick had a lot of energy for children, but in truth, he was eager to meet anyone. He was able to strike up a conversation with people walking past the house or as he was sitting in a rocking chair at Cracker Barrel restaurant. He called it politicking, but his version was friendly, especially because he called everyone baby. For example, when people were leaving him, he often told them, Drive safely, baby. In 2005, Dick and Connie moved into an apartment at Barclay Senior Village, where they made many good friends. Being the gregarious person that he was, Dick visited with his neighbours and spent a lot of time with them in the outdoor gazebo. Dick underwent open heart surgery in 2013 and was in hospital for 81 days. Medically speaking, he didnt stand much of a chance of recovery, but the thought of seeing his great granddaughter Kiley grow up gave Dick the will to survive. He called her his Little Angel, and he gradually improved enough to go home. He motored around the apartment on a scooter and, of course, went back to the gazebo and the local restaurants where he could visit friends once again. Dick was given several more years with his family, who were around him when he died at the age of 80 on Monday, October 24, 2016. Mr. Richard A. "Dick" Horsly will be greatly missed by his beloved family and many friends. SURVIVORS Wife of 57 years, Constance; daughter, Diane (Ed) Falbe; sons, Rick (Sharon) Horsly & Troy (Cynthia) Horsly all of Muskegon; grandchildren, Angie, Bean, Sarah, Emily, Joshua, Justin, Hannah, Tara sisters, Meredith (Paul) Casperson of Muskegon, Rhonda (Benny) Rios of Muskegon; brother, Rodney (Linda) Chaffin of Whitehall. He was preceded in death by his sister, Jennifer Tozer. SERVICE Friday, October 28, 2016, 1:00 pm with visitation one hour prior to the service at the Clock Chapel - Muskegon with Pastor Joe Lane officiating and Military Honors under the Auspices of the Muskegon County Council of Veterans. MEMORIAL: Harbor Hospice Foundation