Obituary of Richard Wayne Chadima

Richard W. Chadima, 81, formerly 2575 Bluffwood Lane, Iowa City died Sunday, February 20, 2005, at Greenwood Manor & Convalescent Center, Iowa City. A Memorial Service will be held for Dick at 4:00 PM, Sunday, February 27, at the First Presbyterian Church in Iowa City. Burial will be in Cedar Memorial Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. A Memorial Fund has been established. Online condolences may be sent for Dick’s family through our website @www.gayandciha.com. or Chadima email, helenc79@MCHSI.com Richard was born on May 19, 1923 in Cedar Rapids to Harry and Elsie (Hajeck) Chadima. He graduated from Washington High School, Cedar Rapids. He married Helen Gower on October 8, 1950 in Iowa City. Dick was known to all as a kind, generous person, and a loyal devoted husband and father. He earned a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Iowa. He was president of a wholesale farm implement business, the Hamilton Company, with distributors throughout Iowa and Illinois. He later served as a lobbyist for the National Federation of Independent Business. He has spent his adult life leading fundraising drives for charities and civic causes, including leadership of two auto safety campaigns for the Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce, the Presbyterian Coalition of Refugee Resettlement, the Allocations and Agency Relations Panel for Untied Way, the Governing Council of the Old Gold Development Fund for the University of Iowa and the board of Directors of the Cedar Rapids Symphony. He was an ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church USA, where he taught Adult Christian Education for many years and served as a consultant on call to other churches. He played an active role on the Board of Churches Untied. His 30 years spent studying psychology, quantum physics and theology of diverse religions led to his publication of a book, Take Off Your Shoes: You are standing on Holy Ground, which was published just before his death. Having served in WWII, he held the combat Infantry Badge and the Bronze Star for his role with the 71st Division Infantry, which liberated a concentration camp. He was also a Lieutenant in the Reserves for the Korean War. Dick will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Dick’s family includes his wife Helen, a daughter Kathryn of Independence, Kansas, a son Bruce of Cedar Rapids, a grandson Bryan of Los Angeles, California and a brother Thomas of Cedar Rapids. He was preceded in death by his parents