Richard Kohler Richards, 90, of Ames died Tuesday, June 26, 2012 at Mary Greeley Hospital, as the result of a head injury due to a fall.
Richard (aka: Dick or RK), was born Richard Kohler Steinberg on Sept. 4, 1921 in Eldora, to Rosa and Albert Steinberg. He moved with his family to Ames in 1926 and graduated from Ames High in 1939. Following high school, he attended Iowa State University (then, Iowa State College), where he studied Electrical Engineering, participated in the ROTC, and lettered in wrestling. He graduated from Iowa State in 1943 and then served as an officer in the army Signal Corps, primarily in India. Following WW II, Richard attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduated with a PhD in Theoretical Physics in 1949. He worked at the IBM Central Research Facility in Poughkeepsie, N.Y from 1949 to 1955 and was one of the first PhD scientists hired by IBM. He obtained 28 U.S. patents for his inventions in the design of vacuum-tube-based business computers. In 1955 Richard left IBM to focus on authoring college-level text books on the design of computers and digital systems. He published five books between 1955 and 1971. In 2009 Richard received a Professional Achievement Citation in Engineering Award from the Iowa State University College of Engineering for his contributions to the mathematics of early digital computing and for bringing public recognition to the Atanasoff-Berry Computer, which was invented at Iowa State. He was the principle witness in the patent dispute that recognized the Atanasoff-Berry computer as the first digital computing device. During the 1970's he gradually retired from computers and writing and took up farming because of his love for the outdoors and his enjoyment of the Iowa farming lifestyle. Some of his farmland in Hardin County is part of the Iowa Century Farms Program, having been farmed by his family for more than 100 years. His two restored wetlands and wildlife conservation marshes that he built on his farmland in Boone and Hamilton Counties were a particular passion of his because, among other reasons, he loved ducks. He continued to run his farms until his death.
In 1956, Richard married Virginia Hartwell Davidson, from Rochester, N. Y., with whom he shared more than 55 wonderful years. In 1962 he relocated his family back to Ames. They had three children, Elizabeth, Albert and Jane. Richard was devoted to his family and especially enjoyed the annual multi-generational family canoe trips through the Boundary Waters of Minnesota. He was also an avid auction attendee and enjoyed (perhaps to the consternation of his wife and neighbors) a large collection of junk and collectibles. He also greatly enjoyed organizing and attending reunions for the Ames High Class of 1939. He had a quick wit and a ready grin and will be deeply missed.
Richard is survived by his wife, Virginia; his three children, Elizabeth (Joe Hardesty), of Albuquerque, N.M., Albert (Roxanne), of San Francisco, Calif., and Jane, of Boulder, Colo.; and five grandchildren, William, Lauren, Jonathan, Jay and Jordan. He is also survived by his sister, Alberta Olson of Alliance, Neb. He was preceded in death by his parents.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at 3:00 pm Saturday, June 30, in the Main Dining Room at the Green Hills Retirement Community, 2200 Hamilton Drive in Ames. A gathering of friends and family will begin an hour beforehand. Richard will be buried in the Ames cemetery in a private family burial Saturday morning.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Richard's memory to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, the Ames High Alumni Association, or to the Iowa State University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Online condolences may be recorded at www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com.