Richard K. Paton

Richard K. Paton, 85, of East Moline, Illinois, died Friday, April 7, 2006, in Illini Restorative Care Center, Silvis, Illinois.

Services are 11 a.m. Monday at Hope United Church of Christ, Moline, with The Reverend A. Parker Lewis III officiating. Burial is in National Cemetery on the Rock Island Arsenal where Moline American Legion Post #246 will present military honors. Visitation is 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Trimble Funeral and Cremation Center, Moline. Memorials may be made to the church.

Richard Kuehn Paton was born June 7, 1920, in Peru, Illinois, the son of Richard and Amanda Kuehn Paton. He married Genevieve E. Stauffacher on January 16, 1944, in Peru. He was very proud to have served in the 347th Regiment of the 87th Division of the Third Army in Europe during WW II. He was awarded the Bronze Star in the Battle of the Bulge and was present at the liberation of Buchenwald Concentration Camp.

He moved to the Quad Cities in 1941, and was employed at the Rock Island Arsenal for 34 years, starting as a machinist and retiring as technical writer in 1974. After retirement, he was a technical writer at Pace Development for 9 years.

He was an active member of Hope United Church of Christ, Moline, was past commander of the Drier-Whitney V.F.W. Post #1933, Silvis, and past president of Arsenal Retirees. He enjoyed attending the annual reunion of the 87th Division, and had many hobbies, including fishing, camping, stained-glass work, traveling, crosswords, computers, and photography, and spending time with his dog, Mandy.

Dick is survived by his wife of 62 years, Genevieve; three children and spouses, Judith and Herbert Crompton of Sherrard, Illinois, Laura and Ronnie Brown of Erie, Illinois, and Jeffrey and Cynthia Paton of Kuna, Idaho; six grandchildren, Richard L. Brown, Eileen K. Brown, Judith P. Brown, Jean D. Crompton, Katherine Crompton, and Michael Brown and his wife Karyn; two great-grandchildren; and his sister, Gladys A. Brinovec of Peru, Illinois. He was preceded in death by a son, Richard Paton Jr.

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