SOUTH BEND - Mr. Richard E. Timmons of Maricopa, Arizona and formerly a long-time resident of South Bend, passed away August 23, 2015 at the Hospice of the Valley Dobson House in Chandler, Arizona following a two month illness. Richard was born January 24, 1924 in South Bend to the late Anna Marie (Coleman) Timmons and Roscoe R. Timmons and was a graduate of South Bend Central High School.

On May 24, 1947, Richard married Bernhardine C. Neitzel at Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Bend. Richard and Bernhardine were married for 67 years until her passing in March 2015.

Richard was a life-long member of Holy Trinity where he served as Financial Treasurer for 40 years as well as being a member of the church choir. As a young man, Richard's first paying job was as a newspaper carrier for the South Bend News-Times and later the South Bend Tribune. He then worked for a number of years at the South Bend Tool & Die Company. His next job would be at First Bank & Trust Company in South Bend for a period of ten years. In 1963 Richard began an illustrious career in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana where he began his tenure as a Deputy Clerk. After fourteen years, Richard was named Clerk of the Court for the four federal courts in the Northern District in South Bend, Ft. Wayne, Lafayette and Hammond a position he held for fourteen years until his retirement in December 1991. In a federal court ceremony marking his retirement, the late Chief Judge Allen Sharp said of Richard's service in the federal courts, "I have never known in my life a person who has served so beautifully his God and his King and this court as an institution." Judge Michael Kanne stated, "Richard is the quintessential public servant a gentleman, conscientious, concerned and effective. This district was blessed and we're sorry to have you go." At the time of his retirement, Richard Morgan, president of the St. Joseph County Bar Association noted Timmons' "many years of selfless, dedicated service" in the first resolution passed by the Bar Association in honor of a non-lawyer.

Richard is survived by a son, John R. (Stephanie) of Maricopa, grandson, Eric (Kateri) Thomas and 5 great-grandchildren, Kiana, Hunter, Ivan, Nina, and Jason of Chandler, Arizona, grandson, Jay Timmons of Grand Junction, Colorado, an adopted son, K. Anders Carlsson (Gerd) and their children of Str”msholm, Sweden, and a sister, Miss Marjorie F. Timmons of Chandler. Richard & Bernhardine spent 18 years in volunteer work with the Youth for Understanding Teenage Exchange Program placing over 300 high school foreign exchange students in homes throughout Northern Indiana.

At home Richard enjoyed raising houseplants, caring for the yard, and was an avid stamp collector. He also enjoyed corresponding with family and friends through letters, and later, through e-mail. Richard and Bernhardine also enjoyed entertaining family and friends in their home. This continued when they retired to Arizona in 1992. Richard and Bernhardine regularly attended Maricopa Lutheran Church over the past 2½ years.

Funeral services will be held at Valley of the Sun Mortuary and Cemetery at 10940 E. Chandler Heights Road in Chandler, Arizona on Saturday, August 29, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. Donations may be made to the St. Vincent De Paul Society, Phoenix, Arizona; Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service, 700 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland; or Hospice of the Valley , Dobson House, Chandler, Arizona.

06/11/2022 EJS