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ObituarySouth/Richard Dell: Cemetery manager, leader of clubs
Wednesday, February 06, 2002 By Al Lowe, Tri-State Sports & News Service
Richard Dell of Munhall was elected president of almost every social organization he joined.
"It was a paraphrase of the old Groucho Marx line about not joining any club that would have him as a member. He wouldn't join any club that wouldn't elect him as president," his son Richard of Williamsburg, Va., said.
Mr. Dell became president of the Homestead Kiwanis, Steel Valley Caravan No. 24, Steel Valley Rotary, the local chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons and Mon Valley Merchant Marine Veterans.
His son said he showed obvious leadership and, "always saw the possibility for things to get done, was always the one to pull everything together."
Mr. Dell, 76, died from complications of emphysema Friday at UPMC Montefiore.
He was born and raised in Munhall.
He joined the Merchant Marine and saw action during World War II but didn't talk about it much. "That leads me to believe he saw a lot," his son said.
Mr. Dell worked as a manager at local cemeteries -- one in Munhall and four in Whitaker. He was involved in their perpetual upkeep and sold flowers in a tent on Memorial Day in front of one.
At age 50 he took flying lessons at Allegheny County Airport, his daughter Linda Dell of Astoria, N.Y., said. He liked to surprise family members by taking them to the airport, renting a plane and giving them a ride.
He often had parties at his home and, "you could tell how big a party by how many tents were up," she said.
A common remark family members heard was, "You always knew where you stood with him."
Besides his son and daughter, Mr. Dell is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Jean; daughters Margaret Havens of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Betty Lee Stockhausen of Pittsburgh; brother Bill of Los Angeles; and four grandchildren.
Services were held Tuesday at Homestead Park United Methodist Church.
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