MOUNT VERNON – Richard S. “Dick” Sechrist, 93, of Mount Vernon and Sunbury, died on Thursday, March 11, 2021. He was born in Garrettsville to the late Jacob Stuart and Thelma Rice Sechrist.
After high school, Dick joined the U.S. Navy (S1c). After WWII, he earned B.S. degrees at Hiram and OSU and an M.S. in Dairy Science Physiology from the University of Nebraska, and worked toward a Ph. D. in Rural Sociology at OSU. He married Janet (Marie Williams) and operated the Sechrist Guernsey herd in Garrettsville. In the early 1960s, he entered the business side of dairy farming, from field supervisor for Central Ohio Breeding Association to OSU dairy extension specialist to general manager of Ohio Ag Services Inc. in Columbus. At Ohio Ag, Dick shaped the organization into a leader in the dairy records industry. He then became executive secretary of the National Dairy Herd Improvement Association Inc., where he provided leadership to 50 state organizations and became a sought-after expert, speaker and contributor to national ag publications.
After his wife Janet died in 1981, Dick married Dorothy (Swisher Stumpf). They “retired” a few years later to Locust Springs Farms outside Mount Vernon, where at one time their sheep flock numbered in the hundreds. After Dorothy’s death in 2006, he brought on partners Rick Graumlich and Steve Hite. In the final summer of his life, Dick was still mowing up to five acres a week.
Dick’s community service included: president and trustee, Sunbury Community Library; president, Sunbury Lions Club; administrative board chairman, Sunbury United Methodist Church; president, Delaware County Dollars for Scholars; alumni associations and many other professional and community organizations.
He is survived by his children, David (Jan) Sechrist of Antelope, California, Nancy (Roger) Williams of Colville, Washington, Laura (Scott) Sommers of Granville and Daniel (Rebecca) Sechrist of Whitehouse, Ohio; brothers, Tom (Paula) Sechrist of Bloomington, Indiana, and Paul (Pat) Sechrist of Chesterton, Illinois; stepchildren, Rita (Jeff) Duncan of Los Angeles, Jennifer Clark of Los Angeles and Linda (Jeff) Lentz of Indonesia; son-in-law, Jeff Clark of Lakewood; ten grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and longtime friends.
In addition to his parents, Dick was preceded in death by his brother, Robert (Sigred) Sechrist.
Dick will be missed mightily for his independent streak, strong opinions, perseverance and dry sense of humor.
Due to COVID-19 concerns, there will be a private graveside service in Sunbury Memorial Park with no visitation. A memorial service will be planned for late summer.
In lieu of flowers, send donations to Hiram College (330-298-5790, hiram.edu), Sunbury United Methodist Church (740-965-3813, sunburyumc.org) or the Community Library of Sunbury (740-965-3901, yourcl.org) in Dick’s memory.
Please visit www.snyderfuneralhomes.com to share a memory or condolence with the family.
The Devore-Snyder Funeral Home of Sunbury is honored to serve the Sechrist family.
