Funeral services for 80-year-old Richard “Dick” Pidde of Comfrey, Minnesota, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, December 27, 2014, at New Hope Lutheran Church in Comfrey, located at 204 Court Street South.
Interment will be in New Hope Salem Lutheran Cemetery in rural Comfrey.
Pastor Brian Nehring will officiate at the services.
Visitation will be at the church from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, December 26, 2014, as well as from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. the day of the funeral.
Sturm Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.
Richard “Dick” Pidde passed away in New Ulm, Minnesota on Monday, December 22, 2014.
Richard “Dick” Allen Pidde was born on April 27, 1934 in Mountain Lake, Minnesota, the son of Herman and Eleanor (Krueger) Pidde. He was baptized and confirmed at Salem Lutheran Church in Comfrey. Dick attended Comfrey Public School and graduated with the Class of 1952. After graduating, Dick farmed with his father until he received his call in 1956 to serve his country in the United States Army. He received his basic training in Fort Smith, Arkansas. After that he was stationed in various places including Camp Desert Rock in Nevada, where he witnessed three atomic bomb tests. His last tour of duty was in Turkey, and he was honorably discharged in 1962.
On January 10, 1959, Dick was united in marriage to Janette Moore. The couple ran a dairy farm at Brainerd, Minnesota until 1960, when they moved back to Comfrey and crop and dairy farmed until 1969, at which time Dick went to work as a carpenter. In 1977, Dick started his own construction business with the help of his four sons. Construction was a job he loved and was compassionate about.
Dick belonged to the Salem Lutheran Church, which became New Hope Lutheran Church after the tornado. He served on the church council for both Salem and New Hope. Dick belonged to the Comfrey Lions Club, and served on the zoning board and Comfrey Development Group.
After retirement, Dick pursued his hobby of woodworking, making bird houses and other small projects. His last years were spent making clocks which he donated for fundraisers and gave as gifts.
Dick is survived by wife, Janette of Comfrey; children, Noel and wife Renee of Sanborn, Minnesota, Brian of Sanborn, Todd of Comfrey, Kristi Lilli of San Diego, California and Eric of Comfrey; grandchildren, Jordan and wife Jeanette Pidde, Angela Pidde and special friend Jackson Felde, Ethan Pidde and special friend Christina Maher, Cedric Pidde and Isaac Lilli; great-grandchildren, Jonah and Lorelei Pidde and siblings, Helen Herrig, Harold (Pat), Roger and special friend Becky and Marilyn Pederson.
He was preceded in death by his parents; infant son, Lee; mother and father-in-law, Clyde and Irene Moore; brothers-in-law, Gary Moore and Russell Herrig and son-in-law John Lilli.