Lyle Rychnovsky, 79, of Rippey passed away Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, at his home surrounded by his family.
His family will host a Celebration of His Life on Saturday, Sept. 9 at the Rippey Community Center at 2 p.m., followed by a gathering with his family until 5 p.m. A private graveside service with military rites will be held in the Rippey Cemetery at a later date.
On Sept. 8, 1943, Lyle Francis Rychnovsky, the first-born son to June and Francis Rychnovsky, came into the world at Osceola, Iowa. Lyle fought a brave and courageous fight after being diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive malignant in operable brain tumor, in May 2023. His battle ended the morning of Sept. 2, 2023, in his home.
Lyle was raised in Osceola and Woodburn, Iowa. He spent every waking moment he could outside “exploring” in the timber, taking a dip in the creek and learning to read nature.
Lyle spent his grade school years in Woodburn and attended Clarke County High School and later finished his education through the U.S. Army. His mother insisted that he attend a “trade school” to occupy his time, so Lyle and his Uncle Wayne headed to Toledo, Ohio, to the National School of Meat Cutting, graduating in May 1963.
Lyle’s father passed away of leukemia when Lyle was 7 years old. As Lyle got older, it was his intention to fulfill his father’s remaining term of his service in the U.S. Army. In August 1963, he enlisted at the age of 20, and he served three years.
While in a training classroom at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Nov. 22, 1963, they were put on notice to deploy to Dallas for crowd control after the assignation of President John F. Kennedy. They were not deployed. The military had so much respect for him as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, and the respect was mutual.
Lyle was stationed in Korea for one year and 27 days. During his tenure, he was decorated with a Marksmanship Badge for rifle, a good conduct medal and the National Defense Service Medal. Lyle was honorably discharged on Aug. 22, 1966, with a duty assignment at the Army Air Defense Command with the 53rd Artillery Group, which specialized in radar aka “a scope dope” in Army jargon with a rank of Specialist E5, equivalent to the rank of sergeant. He also held a top security clearance.
Lyle loved his country and was honored to serve it.
Returning home after his discharge, he met and married Deloris Pohl. They welcomed a daughter, Alice, and a son, Michael. They separated later in their marriage.
Lyle had a great work ethic that was passed down to his children and his grandchildren, Kelsey, Brian, Zach and Nathan.
Lyle was very much a people person and could strike up a conversation with anyone.
Lyle spent more than 40 years at the meat processing plant. His position was a trainer most of his career, teaching coworkers on the processing line the proper way to cut meat. In all those years, there is no way he could count how many he trained, but they remembered him. Several times in Des Moines and Ames, we would run into people who had worked at the plant, and they would yell, “Lyle!” and shake his hand.
Lyle loved nature.
In November 2000 Lyle agreed with some reservation to meet a coworker of his matchmaker sisters. Both made it clear that neither was interested in remarrying. But on June 23, 2001, they were united in marriage in a small country church in rural Union County, Iowa.
They made their home in Lyle’s established home in Rippey. It was agreed we would be another support system for each other’s children and grandchildren. Lyle gained a stepson, Wes, and his wife, Amber, and two grandchildren through marriage, Emma and Jeffrey Richards.
He will be missed by his wife, Paula; daughter, Alice, and husband, Todd; grandchildren, Kelsie, Brian and wife, Auburn, Zach, Nathan; and step grandchildren, Emma, Jeffrey, Blake, Alyssa, and husband, Ian, and Brian; great-grandchildren, Ben, Maddy, Octavia, Judah, Lyric and added Tru, Faith, Ava and Kyrie; two sisters, Phyllis, and Mary Ann; a sister-in-law, Mary; a step-brother, Jack, and wife, Marilyn; and many nieces; nephews; cousins; and friends.
Those who have gone before him are his parents; his son, Michael; his brother, Eugene; a brother-in-law, Joe; a stepsister, JoAnn; and a niece, Ashley.
Memorials will be given to his family for later designation and may be left at the Carris Family Funeral Home and Cremation Care. Online condolences may be left at www.carrisfuneralhome.com.
