Our loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Richard Edward Haun, went to be with his trusted Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Monday, March 24, 2025.
Richard was born on February 23, 1941, to Jake Haun Jr. and Dorothy Eisemann Haun. He was born just a few miles north of Riverton, near the land that he would farm most of his life. At age 3, he lived in Missouri Valley for a short while before moving to the family farm at the end of North 8th Street, north of Riverton. He helped on the farm from an early age, and when he wasn’t working, he was undoubtedly teasing and pestering his three sisters, all of whom he loved dearly!
Richard was an active lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Riverton. On April 6, 1941, he received the gift of holy baptism and was confirmed in the Lutheran faith on May 1, 1955. Richard was actively involved in the church and considered members of Trinity his church family.
Richard’s teachers put up with him for 12 years. While in school, he was active in sports, Future Farmers of America (FFA), and other activities. He was a proud graduate of Riverton High School in 1959. Richard often talked about his classmates and school days, enjoyed class reunions, and continued to follow the athletics and activities of Riverton High School throughout his life.
Richard and Janice (Carpenter) Haun were married and blessed with sixty-five years together. They raised their three children—Kent, Sheila, and Cindy—on the family farm, where the kids had plenty of room to roam, grow, and dream. Richard often said, “I sure didn’t make it very far... I was born, grew up, built a home, and the cemetery were all within a three-mile radius.” Richard was blessed with an unending sense of humor.
He was employed at Gas Hills for a short while and then worked with his dad on the family farm, which he had done since childhood. Richard bought his first 77-acre farm in 1969. He leased land in the Riverton Valley, including acreage where Riverton High School, Central Wyoming College, and Riverton Country Club are currently located. He bought more acreage and ran a cow/calf and feedlot operation. He knew the hard, yet satisfying, work of beef production and growing crops, raising registered Hereford cattle for a time, and growing alfalfa hay, corn silage, and barley. For several years, Richard ran an alfalfa hay-cubing operation, Haun Haycubing, and fed and sold hay cubes locally and around the area. Richard’s favorite part of farming and ranching was the calving season, and in his later years, raising buffalo. He said the early morning hours were his favorite part of the day, as the day was new and the air was fresh. In the same conversation, he said that spring was his favorite Wyoming season as crops began to grow and green, and baby calves were born.
Richard was a member of the Dubois Grazing Association from 1965-1979, where he co-owned a ranch east of Dubois, Wyoming. Grazing permits were included in the ranch, so cattle were trailed up in the late spring and trailed down in the fall from Shoshone National Forest. This made for great storytelling and camaraderie amongst the cowboys. Richard often recalled this part of his life and relived it by sharing tales of the time.
Richard served on the Riverton Conservation District Board. He was a director at High Plains Power and also served on the Wyoming Rural Electric Association. He served on the FFA Advisory Board and the Fremont County Cattlemen’s Association and was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church. He received numerous awards and recognition for his service to various boards and work in the agricultural community.
Even though Richard took great pride in the cattle and buffalo that he raised and the land he worked, his greatest joy came from spending time with his family. He and his wife, Janice, attended every activity they could that involved their children or grandchildren. He knew that his family was his greatest blessing in a life of many blessings. He affectionately nicknamed his grandchildren (and occasionally others), and he loved all of his grandchildren dearly. He could joke and tease anyone, but he especially loved teasing his grandchildren.
Richard is survived by his beloved wife, Janice (Carpenter) Haun; son, Kent Haun (Shelli); daughters, Sheila Haun McPherson (Brad) and Cindy Haun McDonald (Eric); grandchildren, Lori Haun Crippen (Bryan), Casey and Kendra Crippen, Brandon Haun (Lindsey), Bronson and Weston Haun, Erin McPherson Galloway (Thaddeus), Carter Galloway, Kayla McPherson Eckart (Jeff), Grant, Whitley, and Livienne Eckart, Cortnee Fabrizius Johnston (Lucas), Treyce and Tysen Hilim, and Tylynn McDonald.
He is also survived by his beloved sister, Sandy Haun Cole and husband, Terry, of Cody, WY; brother-in-laws, Clayton Hamilton of Sheridan, WY, Jerry Cole of Riverton, and Jim Carpenter (Diana) of Arvada, Colorado; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Preceding Richard in death were his mother and father, Dorothy Mae Eisemann Haun and Jake Haun Jr.; beloved sisters, Carolyn Haun Hamilton and Janice Haun Cole; and many loved aunts, uncles, cousins, and family members.
Richard would want to be remembered as:
- A family man who was grateful and joyful for his wife and family.
- A man who loved the work and reward of farming.
- A man who loved his community and never met a stranger, nor failed to have a joke and a smile.
And remembered as the man who trusted in the Lord and believed in His promises.
Memorials in memory of Richard Edward Haun may be given to:
Trinity Lutheran Church or Trinity Lutheran School or a charity of the donor’s choosing in care of Davis Funeral Home.
Visitation for family and friends will be held at Davis Funeral Home in Riverton on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The funeral service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 419 E. Park Ave., Riverton, on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., with burial to follow at Mountain View Cemetery.
On-line condolences for Richard’s family may be made at TheDavisFuneralHome.com
Services under the direction of Davis Funeral Home, Crematory, and Monuments.