RICHARD J. VILES

Richard J. Viles, 76, of Springfield passed away on Tuesday Oct. 31, 2023.  He was born on Dec. 27, 1946, in Springfield, the son of Oren and Joan (Rogers) Viles.
He graduated from Republic High School and on Sept. 23, 1967, he married the love of his life, Susan Kay Crawford. This union was blessed with three daughters, Tina, Kim, and Rebecca.
He served as a reserve Greene County Sheriff Deputy and then as a Colonel and Chief of Reserves with the Republic Police Department.  He enjoyed coaching his daughters’ softball, basketball, and baseball game and never missed a practice or a game. He was a longtime member of Bethany Christian Church and also spent many years as the caretaker for Brookline Cemetery, where he will be laid to rest next to his wife.
He is survived by his daughters, Tina (Tommy) Ulmer, Kim (Dale) Shelton, Rebecca (Kevin) Edmonds; sister, Orilla Mae (Larry) Keys; sister-in-law, Linda Viles; brother-in-law, Mike Crawford; 13 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; as well as nieces, nephews, cousins and other extended family and countless friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Susan; his parents; brother, Danny; sister-in-law, Patricia Crawford; and both his mother and father-in-law Chester and Dorothy Crawford.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The American Heart Assoc., The American Diabetes Assoc. or to Brookline Cemetery.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, Nov. 4, with burial at Brookline Cemetery.