Richard "Dick" Hyde

Richard “Dick” Allison Hyde, 84, took his final flight in the early hours of October 31, 2021. Though unexpected, he passed away peacefully at Northside Hospital in Lawrenceville, GA, with his wife, Nancy, and daughters, Christine and Nicole, at his side.

Dick was born on July 7, 1937 in Minneapolis, MN to Wallace and Ovila Hyde.  He attended Edina High School, where he was class president and an active lifelong alumnus. Dick went to Minnesota University, graduated from Cornell University, and then went on to study law at the University of Michigan. His law career began in San Francisco with Sedgwick, Detert, Moran and Arnold. While living there, he met his wife, Nancy, whom he married in 1964. A job with United Airlines brought him to the Chicago area in 1966, where he resided until 1996. Following retirement, Dick and Nancy moved first to St Louis, and later (2013) to Suwanee, GA to be near his grandsons, Andy and Ryan.

Dick was an avid traveler, and passionate about aviation. For most people, the sky is the limit – but for Dick, the sky was his home. Coupling his passion for aviation with his passion for World War II history, Dick was a member of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) in both St. Louis and Atlanta, where he dedicated his time to preserving WWII aircraft – and to his delight was even able to hitch a few rides in B-25 and Dauntless aircrafts! Dick also shared his extensive knowledge of WWII with others, teaching a number of memorable courses on the topic for Lifelong Learning at Washington University in St Louis, and actively participating in the WWII Roundtable in the Atlanta area.

Dick loved sports – either watching his favorite teams (Michigan Wolverines / St Louis Cardinals) or getting into the action himself. He was an early adopter of the running movement, and ran countless races and marathons over the years. He was a kind and gentle man and looked forward to his many ‘sibling trips’ he took with his sisters. Always a great storyteller, Dick wrote with humor to the joy of all who read his cards, letters, and newsletters.

Dick is survived by his wife, Nancy Hyde (nee Stroh), daughters Christine Wichems (husband Desmond), Nicole Cox (husband Tom), grandsons Andrew and Ryan Cox, sisters Barbara O’Neil (husband Bill) and Carol Durgin (husband Gene), and countless extended family, all of whom he thoroughly enjoyed.

Dick will be laid to rest in a private service. In lieu of flowers,  please consider a memorial donation to CAF Airbase Georgia in Dick’s name: Airbase Georgia, 1200 Echo Ct, Peachtree City, GA 30269. Website: https://airbasegeorgia.org.

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