Richard Thomas Hancock, age 83, of North Mankato, died Sunday, October 4, 2009, at Oak Terrace in North Mankato.

Memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, at Mankato Mortuary with Rev. Dean Wolf officiating. Burial will be in Minneopa Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Mankato Mortuary and continue one hour before the service on Wednesday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to ISJ Hospice or the Alzheimer’s association.

Richard was born June 23, 1926, to Thomas and Lillian (Diedrickson) Hancock in rural Howard County Iowa near Chester, Iowa. In 1930, the family moved to a farm near Granger, MN. Richard entered the military in 1945 and was stationed in the Philippines and Korea. He married Emily Hansen in 1948 and lived in Mason City before moving to LeRoy, MN where he worked at International repairing and painting tractors and machinery. Richard then went to work for Freeborn Construction and moved to Clarks Grove, MN, in 1968. He then worked for the City of Clarks Grove for 10 years before retiring in 1988.

He loved woodworking and other tools. He enjoyed visiting with friends.

Richard is survived by his wife, Emily; four children, Donald (Joyce) Hancock of Mankato, Larry Hancock of Lake Crystal, Barbara Hancock of Waseca, Kenneth Hancock of Clarks Grove; seven grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren; two brothers, Eldon Hancock of Marshall, Russell (Loraine) Hancock of Spring Valley.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Nathan (Gladys); sister-in-law, Avis Hancock; three brothers-in-law; and mother and father-in-law.