Dr. Richard L. “Doc” Winegarden, 82, of Waterloo, IA, died at Covenant Medical Center Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008 of respiratory failure. He was born Sept. 8, 1926 in Washington, IA, son of David and Ethel (Norman) Winegarden.

He graduated from Keota HS in 1944. After discharge from the U.S. Army Air Corps in Dec. 1945, Richard attended Iowa State College (now ISU) beginning in Jan. 1946. He graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) in 1950. While in college, Richard was in ROTC and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.

He married Hannah Margaret “Peggy” Waterland Sept. 11, 1949. She died Oct. 15, 1963. Richard married Maria Dorothea (Martens) Ehlert Aug. 20, 1972. She died Oct. 30, 2001.

Dr. Winegarden practiced Veterinary Medicine in Waterloo since 1950 with Isaac Hayes, John Guldner and Lawrence Reilly. His long-time offices were located near 11th & Commercial and then on Jefferson at Third. For many years, he was the veterinarian for the Cattle Congress.

He was a member of the Waterloo First United Methodist Church, Waterloo Downtown Rotary Club, Reserve Officers Assoc, Military Officers Assoc, Cedar Valley Veterinary Medical Assoc, both Iowa and Nebraska Veterinary Medical Assoc and became a Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International.

Richard was a private pilot since earning his license in a flying club at Iowa State. He owned a classic 1946 Luscombe Silvaire airplane. He flew a similar plane on his first trip to Waterloo, landing at the Livingston field just East of town. Latter years included trips to airshows like Oshkosh and Blakesburg. He was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Assoc, local chapter 227, and Antique Airplane Assoc.

He served at Minter Field in Calif. during WWII doing aircraft maintenance. He continued with the U.S. Air Force Reserve serving his vacation time from veterinary medicine as annual tours of duty throughout the country, retiring as a Major. His favorite WWII fighter was a twin engine P-38 Lighting with its long range, “extra” engine, and because, “It was a straight shooter.”

He enjoyed the outdoors and accompanied his boys and others in Boy Scouts Troop 17 on camping, hiking, and canoe trips throughout Iowa and the upper Midwest. Richard also loved photography and could frequently be found behind a camera. He won many awards for his photographs and was a member of the NE Iowa and later the Central Iowa Camera Clubs. As a former farm kid, Richard loved green plants and gardening. Tomatoes and raspberries were frequent “gifts”. His enthusiasm extended to the plants and farming implements. He participated with the Waterloo Garden Club and Antique Acres.

He is survived by his children: David Winegarden of Fremont, CA; Steven (Nancy) Winegarden of Sunnyvale, CA; Bruce (Ann) Winegarden of Sammamish, WA; Daniel Pitts (Lori) Winegarden of Clear Lake, Charles Winegarden of Waterloo, Shirley Ehlert (Leonard) Flachman of Golden Valley, MN; and Roger Ehlert of Coeur d’Alene, ID; 6 grandchildren, 5 step grandchildren and 13 step great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his wives and stepson Howard Ehlert.