Richard Tarpley

Richard H. (Dick) Tarpley, 92, retired editor of the Abilene Reporter-News, died Monday, September 17, 2012. Born to Harburd and Rennie Tarpley on August 22, 1920, in Arlington, he moved to Weslaco in 1921 when his father became the first superintendent of schools there. He graduated from Edinburg High School, Edinburg Junior College (now UT-Pan American) and the University of Texas in 1941. He began his newspaper career, while in high school, as sports editor of the Edinburg Valley Review in 1937. He even covered some of the games in which he participated. He was sports editor of the Wichita Falls Record-News for a year after graduation from the University of Texas until Pearl Harbor intervened. He entered the Army in August 1942 and served in signal intelligence, as an enlisted man, warrant officer, and then as an officer, after a battlefield commission. He won five campaign stars in Africa and Europe and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. When he came to Abilene after World War II, he helped form the Abilene National Guard artillery battalion in February 1947. He remained with the unit when it became an engineer battalion and was its commander from 1969 to 1971. He graduated with honors from Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, KS., and retired as a lieutenant colonel in September 1972 after 30 years of military service. Tarpley began with the Abilene Reporter-News as courthouse reporter in 1946 and remained with the newspaper for 52 years. He served as a reporter, wire editor, sports editor, news editor, assistant managing editor, managing editor and editor. After retirement as editor in 1986, he continued writing his popular Sunday column for 12 more years until late 1997. In 1953, he married Beverly Potthoff, Abilene attorney. He is survived by her and two children, Charles Tarpley of Abilene and Beth Rathe of Coppell, a son-in-law, Brian Rathe, and three grandchildren, Erica, Jack and Nick, all of Coppell. Other survivors are a sister, Rennie Mae Bormann, of McAllen, six nieces and six nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, one sister and one nephew. Tarpley was president of the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors Association in 1973 and was first chairman of the Harte-Hanks Editorial Advisory Board in 1977. He was president of the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra Association in 1974-75 and again in 1993-94. He was chairman of the Civic Center Advisory Board for the first five years of its existence (1970-75); President of the Abilene Zoological Society 1978-79; President of the Abilene Exchange Club; President of the Pastoral Care and Counseling Center; longtime member of the Abilene Boys and Girls Club and the Abilene Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, and Chairman of the three-county Community Justice Council from 1989-2009. He has been a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church since 1946 and wrote the church history for its 75th anniversary in 1984. He was active in Sunday School and various church committees and boards, including Missions and Education. He sang in the church choir. He and his wife hosted many Reporter-News tours all over the world and then continued extensive traveling after his retirement. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012 at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 525 Beech St. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Thursday, September 20th at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. A private inurnment of cremains will be held at Elmwood Memorial Park for family. Memorials may be made to St. Paul United Methodist Church, 525 Beech St., Abilene, TX 79601; Grover Nelson Park Zoological Foundation, 2070 Zoo Lane, Abilene, TX 79602; Abilene Philharmonic Foundation, 401 Cypress, Suite 520, Abilene, TX 79601; or Hendrick Hospice Care, 1682 Hickory, Abilene, TX 79601.