Hemphill

Richard M. "Dick" Hemphill Sr., 85, of Chicora died at 11:20 p.m., Sunday at his home following an illness.

Born in Chicora, April 5, 1924, he was the son of Martin and Martha Yough Hemphill.

He worked at Witco Chemical in Petrolia for 35 years. He helped organize the Witco Credit Union and was its first president.

He belonged to the Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church in Chicora. He also belonged to the American Legion and the VFW in Chicora, the St. Patrick Young at Heart group in Bradys Bend and the Chicora Senior Center.

During World War II, he was a staff sergeant with the 10th Armored Division under Gen. George Patton and was awarded the American Campaign Ribbon with four Bronze Stars, Victory Medal Europe and Africa, Battle of the Bulge, Liberation of Normandy and France and the Army of Occupation Good Conduct. He was a lifelong member of the Disabled American Veterans.

Surviving are his wife, Joan Collier Hemphill, whom he married July 20, 1946; a daughter, Jane Turk and her husband, Tom, of Chicora; two sons, Richard Hemphill Jr. and his wife, Linda, of Chicora and Denny Hemphill and his wife, Cathy, of Butler; six granddaughters, Heather (Turk) Rumbaugh and her husband, Allen, of Chicora, Jessica (Turk) O'Donnell and her husband, Patrick, of Chicora, Brittnee Hemphill of Butler, Celina Henderson of Butler, Kara (Hemphill) Mahla of Denver, Colo., and Kim, (Hemphill) Erdner and her husband, Ken, of Pittsburgh; and two grandsons, Mark Hemphill and his fiancee, Chrystal Kriebel, of Clintonville and Matthew Hemphill of Butler.

He also is survived by four great-granddaughters, Mackenzie Mahla of Denver, Colo., Olivia Rumbaugh and Kyra O'Donnell, both of Chicora, and Sarah Erdner of Pittsburgh; and two great-grandsons, Austin Rumbaugh and Keegan O'Donnell, both of Chicora. Additional survivors include three stepgranddaughters, Jacquelyn (Yehle) Follmuth and her husband, David, of Grand Forks N.D., Carrie Yehle of Fargo, N.D., and Andrea Yehle of Chicora; a number of nieces and nephews; and a sister, Leona Miller of Chicora.

A brother, Jack Hemphill, preceded him in death.

<B>HEMPHILL</B> — Friends of Richard M. "Dick" Hemphill Sr., who died Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the <B>STEIGHNER FUNERAL HOME</B>, 111 E. Slippery Rock and Main streets, Chicora. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church, 409 N. Main St., Chicora, with Rev. David DeWitt, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in Hemphill Cemetery, Chicora.Full military honors will be accorded by the Chicora VFW and the American Legion posts and the 99th Readiness Command of Coraopolis.For further information, directions and to offer condolences, go to www.steighnerfuneralhome.com.