Richard L. Council

Richard Lee Council, 76, of Sycamore died Wed. Sept. 13, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio, due to an injury sustained last year.

He was born Feb. 19, 1941 in Mercedes, Texas, to Thelma Mae (Coovert) and Winslow Council.  He was raised in Weslaco and graduated from Weslaco High School.

Following high school, he studied music at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas, and at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.  He earned a Bachelor of Music degree in tuba performance in 1964.  The next two summers he played for the American Wind Symphony, a touring ensemble based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

His graduate studies began in 1964 at the University of Tulsa.  He earned his Master of Music degree in tuba performance there and played in the Tulsa Philharmonic.

During his time in Tulsa he met Ida Katherine Schicke.   They were married Jan. 8, 1966 in Independence.  She preceded him in death May 16, 2008.

The couple lived in various parts of Texas and Virginia before moving to Kansas.   Richard had played in the San Antonio Symphony from 1966-1969 and taught low brass and band in both states.

In 1975, they settled near Sycamore, Kansas, on Ida's family farm.   By then the couple had three children.

Richard was employed at Emerson Electric in Independence and then at Automotive Controls Corporation for 20 years.  He retired in 1998.

In 1978 he joined the Bartlesville Symphony in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.  He played tuba with that orchestra for 37 years under the direction of Lauren Green, conductor.

He loved attending concerts and musicals.  He was interested in theater and read Shakespeare with a local group.  He studied photography and used his skill to capture wildflowers, scenery and family events.   He enjoyed traveling.

Other interests included running, walking and bicycling.  He competed in the 2001 National Senior Olympics in New Orleans for racewalking.   He also ran local 5K and 10K races, plus the Tulsa Marathon once.  He rode in the Dirty Kanza bike race in Emporia in 2015.

He attended Wesley United Methodist Church in Parsons and sang in the choir there.

Survivors include one son, Brian Council of Emporia, two daughters; Elizabeth Council-Phelan and her husband Vincent of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Jennifer Ozier and her husband Tom of Parsons, one sister, Marsha (Council) Barrington of South Carolina.  Grandchildren include Peter and Veronica Phelan; Jordan, Jack, Simon, Annette and Sylvia Ozier.  In addition a sister-in-law, brother-in-law, niece and two nephews survive.

His parents and a brother-in-law preceded him in death.

A memorial service will be Friday, Sept. 29 at 10:30 a.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church, Parsons.  Visitation will follow.  Private burial will be held in Calvary Cemetery of Independence.

Memorial donations are suggested to either Wesley United Methodist Church for the Choir and fine arts, or to the Bartlesville Symphony Orchestra.  These may be left at or mailed to the Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, Kansas 67357.