Orval Richard Foreman, of St. Joseph, Missouri, and a former resident of Lake Marie near Mercer, Missouri, was born in Blythedale, Missouri, in the family home on August 16, 1937, and passed away on December 21, 2015, with his wife Carleta at his side, at their home in St. Joseph. He was the son of Orval Wayne and Wilma Mae (Cain) Foreman.
Richard was raised in northern Missouri and was a graduate of Eagleville High School. At the age of 18 ½, after a particularly bad day, he went to Bethany, Missouri, and waited on a recruiter to arrive from St. Joseph. The recruiter said Richard looked hungry and preceded to feed Richard three of the largest cuts of meat he had ever seen. He now was an Army man. The Army shipped Richard to Arkansas to wait for a unit. From there he was shipped to Colorado and California where they all were placed on a train and spent ten days traveling to the east coast. Their next stop was Germany. Richard had specifically asked to be sent overseas and that is where he stayed for his career. Once in Germany the unit found out they had nowhere to sleep so in the snow of November they spent their first weeks building their own barracks. During his career with the Army, Richard also served two tours in Vietnam. He married a German lady, Marlies Mitnacht, and they had two children, Michael and Monika. After his retirement and being preceded in death by his wife, Richard returned to the United States, where he moved to Mercer, Missouri, to be close to his brother, Jack. He was a member of the Ragan-Hickman American Legion Post #477 of Mercer.
Through the years, Richard ran a coin store in Mercer and came to be known as a local junk man. He was always looking to make a dollar off what someone else thought was junk. The Rutledge Flea Market was at the peak of its existence and Richard was known as one of the regulars for many years where his booth had taken on three additions over the years to make room for all his wares. There was always a joke waiting on the tip of his tongue for anyone who would take the time to listen.
Richard met and fell for Carleta Ruth (Arnold) Brown in Mercer. They were married on September 28, 1996, at her home on Lake Marie where they resided until moving to St. Joseph to be closer to Carletas daughter. Richard was cared for by family in their home until his passing.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife Marlies; three brothers, Gary, Jim and Jack Foreman; and by a sister, Beverly Horseman. He is survived by his wife Carleta, of the home; his children, Michael Foreman and Monika Mitnacht of Germany; one sister, Deanna Bray of Fremont, Nebraska; and by four step-daughters, Doneta Brown Heerlein of St. Joseph, Linda Evans of Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, Trisha Ross of Grant City, Missouri, and Krista VanBehren of Maryville, Missouri.
Richard requested donations be made to the Ragan-Hickman American Legion Post #477 of Mercer and also asked that everyone please not vote for Hillary.
Richard was cremated under the direction of the Greenlee-Middleton Funeral Service of Princeton, Missouri, and Lineville, Iowa. Inurnment will take place in St. Joseph at a later date by his family.