Clarence Richard 'Dick' Meitler
September 29, 1942 - September 14, 2023
Clarence Richard “Dick” Meitler, 80, passed away September 14, 2023, at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, Kansas. He was born on September 29, 1942, near Sylvan Grove, Kansas, to Clarence W. and Lois Bonnel (Zacho) Meitler.
On December 13, 2008, he was united in marriage to Cynthia Tittel.
Dick grew up at Sylvan Grove, Kansas, and at age 14, he began working with his dad. They built watershed dams and helped with Lake Wilson. As he grew older, he turned to construction, working on many projects around western Kansas. He worked on the high rise, Walmart, Fuller Brush, and many other projects that happened in Great Bend. There was no heavy equipment that he wasn’t good at operating. He also worked for C.V. Cale.
In the mid 1970s, he began managing Concrete Service. He also started a crane rental business. He retired in his late 60s but continued the crane rental business for several more years. Never comfortable with retirement, he continued doing special projects for Concrete Service.
Dick was an avid duck hunter and spent many years hunting at Cheyenne Bottoms. He was also passionate about fishing and spent many days at Glen Elder, Wilson Lake, Milford, and Ten Killer in Oklahoma. He also enjoyed hog hunting trips to Texas with his brothers and friends.
Dick was a member of the First Christian Church.
Survivors include his spouse, Cynthia; two sons, D. Shane Meitler of Great Bend, Kansas and Trevor (Angie) Meitler of Hutchinson, Kansas; two stepdaughters, Stacy (Eric) Johnson and Shauna Young, all of Great Bend; 14 grandchildren; five stepgrandchildren; many great-grandchildren; four brothers, Chuck (Lorraine) Meitler of Lockhart, Texas, Donald (Randy) Meitler of Wichita, Kansas, Daryl (June) Meitler of Tonganoxie, Kansas, Danny (Geri) Meitler of Plainville, Kansas; seven sisters, Judy (Richard) Werner of Plainville, Kansas, Linda Glisson of Stockton, Kansas, Debra (Steve) Iwig of Tecumseh, Kansas, Dee Ann Meitler of Sylvan Grove, Kansas, Vicky Wiles, Kathy Ashbaugh, and Cindy (Dave) Miller, all of Ellsworth, Kansas.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two sons, Larry and Troy Meitler; a daughter, Karen Bender; his twin sister, Carolyn Gehring; brother, Dean Meitler; and sister, Alice Oller.
Visitation will be held from noon to 8:00 p.m., Monday, September 18, 2023, at Bryant Funeral Home, with family to receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at First Christian Church, with Pastor Joseph Smeragliuolo presiding. Interment will be in Great Bend Cemetery.
Memorials have been designated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or First Christian Church, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.
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