Richard D. Charlesworth

Richard Dewayne Charlesworth passed away Monday, July 28, 2014 at the Galicia Heat Hospital in Wichita, Kansas. He was born on May 17, 1945 to Wayne and Lucille Hayden Charlesworth in Coffeyville, Kansas. He grew up in Cherryvale and attended Cherryvale schools until his senior year and graduated at Labette County High School. He attended McFarland Trade School in Coffeyville. During high school he worked at the Coffeyville Stock Yards. After high school he worked at Page Milk Company in Coffeyville, later spending his career working for Santa Fe Railroad. After retiring from Santa Fe Railroad he worked part time for"" Trucking by George in Caney, Kansas. In 2012 he began Select Taxi Company operating out of Coffeyville until his death. Richard grew up in Cherryvale but lived in Coffeyville most of his adult life. He served six years with the United States National Guard and six months of active duty before being honorably discharged. Richard loved competitive sports. He successfully raced motorcycles in his 20"s later moving to stock cars. He was well known as a competitive stock car driver and won many honors including Drive of the Year several times at the Caney Valley Race Track in his car named Assassination. In later life he owned several race horses racing in Tulsa, Claremore, Des Moines and Oklahoma City. In addition to participating in competitive sports he loved corvettes and owned over sixty of them in his lifetime. Richard loved life especially his family, his dogs and his horses. Anyone that ever met him remembered him, he was funny, charming, a dare devil, and loved to talk, always having a good story."" To be in his family, in his pit crew, in his stable, or to be one of his many friends was a gift. He loved people and never met a stranger. In a short time he would know their entire life history. "Richard lost his wife, Linda Steele Charlesworth and his step son Josh in a tragic car crash in 1988. He was additionally preceded in death by his parents Wayne and Lucille Charlesworth and his sister Mary Ann Charlesworth Holloway. He is survived by his sister, Jo Ann Charlesworth McDowell, his nephews Vic, Doug and Ken Holloway, his niece Suzanne McDowell Villarreal. His great nieces and nephew, Clay Holloway, Adrienne, Michael, Christopher and Samson Villarreal.Friends may sign the register book Thursday from 12Noon until 8:00 P.M with family receiving friends from 6:00 P.M. until 7:30 P.M. at Wickham Family Funeral Home. His funeral service will be held Friday, August 1, 2014 at 2:30 P.M. at the Wickham Family Funeral Home 216 East 4th Street, Cherryvale with interment in the family plot at Fairview Cemetery. After the services friends are invited to the home of his sister JoAnn McDowell, 815 E 4th St, Cherryvale for food, drinks, to tell stories and a celebration of Richards"s life. The family has requested memorial contributions to the Cherryvale High School Alumni Association and they may be left at the funeral home. Casketbearers will be: Bob McDowell, Tulsa, Mike Johnston, Wichita, Terry Beeson, Coffeyville Allen Lee Myers, Roger King, and Michael Villarreal of Cherryvale.