Richard W. “Dick” Babb, 84, local auctioneer and real estate agent, passed away peacefully 7:14 PM, Saturday, December 24, 2011 at his home under the care of Community Care Hospice. His second wife, Ann Reno, survives. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Willadean Wilson Babb. Dick was born April 4, 1927 in Pickaway County, son of the late Weldon J. and Bertha D. Hulse Babb. After the death of his parents, he was raised by his grandparents Albert and Ida Mae Goldsberry Babb on a farm in Fayette County. He was a 1945 graduate of Washington C. H. High School. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp. as an Air Cadet in W.W. II and utilized the G.I. Bill to attend The Ohio State University. Due to family illness, he returned to the farm and later attended G I Agriculture Vocational School in Fayette County.
Dick farmed with Deep Valley Farms in Illinois, worked with the University of Illinois and the International Harvester Company experimenting with the effects of leveling, which resulted in the Illinois Legislature passing bills forcing leveling on farmland. Dick was instrumental in the passing of CAUV in Columbus which has aided farmers all over the state. In 1958 he attended Missouri Auction School and moved to Clinton County. He was a past president of the Ohio Auctioneers Association and lobbied for the existing Auction Law. He served on the Ohio Auctioneer Commission under Governors Gilligan and Rhodes. Dick served on Wilmington City Council for 2 terms (1960-1965). He served on the Clinton County Board of Election as Director and board member. He was the legislative agent for Ohio Farmers Union and was currently registered as an executive agent lobbyist and legislative agent. Dick was also the current Secretary-Treasurer of the Clinton County Farmers Union, Inc. In June, 2008 he was appointed by Governor Strickland to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Reclamation Commission primarily dealing with mineral mining in Ohio. He served as the Clinton County Democratic Chair, ran for the Ohio Senate, and was a current Clinton County Democratic Executive Committee Member. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles 1224, the B.P.O. Elks 797, the American Legion Post 49, the F&AM Lodge 52, and the Aladdin Shrine.
In addition to his second wife, Dick is survived by four daughters, Cheri (Jerry Brown) Babb of Corvallis, Oregon; Susee (Jim Taylor) Babb of Wilmington, Ohio; Gail Anne (Fadi) Al-Ghawi of Wilmington, Ohio; Nancy Babb (Scott) Dabe of Sardinia, Ohio; his grandchildren Eric (Stephanie) Babb-Brown, Ayla Babb-Brown, Aaron Al-Ghawi, Ryanne (Paul) Hampshire, Tanner Lee Dabe, Michael Dabe, and Kate Wallace; several nieces and nephews; and two special dogs, Bo and Sassy. In addition to his first wife and parents, two sisters, Betty Arnold and Mary Joan Moore, and a step grandson Devin Dabe, are preceded in death.
Dick proudly donated his body to the Wright State University School of Medicine so that future medical doctors would benefit from his generosity. A celebration of Dick’s life will be held 1:00 PM, Saturday, January 7, 2012 at the Reynolds-Smith Funeral Home, 327 N. South Street, Wilmington, Ohio. Friends may call from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Saturday, January 7, 2012 at the Reynolds-Smith Funeral Home. Military honors will be provided by the American Legion Post 49 Memorial Squad. A reception will follow the memorial service at the General Denver Hotel Dining Room.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to the Clinton County Farmer’s Union Dick Babb Memorial Scholarship, P. O. Box 49, Wilmington, Ohio 45177 for students attending college in the field of agriculture.
To Ann and all of Dick’s family, Tom and I wish to extend our deepest sympathy.
Dick was a special friend to the Telfair and Cardaci families and will be deeply missed.
He was a true gentleman and the best at what he did!
We’ll miss you Dick! Rest in peace!
Thanks so much Kitty for your kind words…he was proud to call you all his friends, also. Your mother’s auction was the “star in his crown” and a wonderful finale to that chapter of his life! Susee
I have fond memories of visiting my Uncle Dick at the “blue house” in Wilmington. I was sorry to hear of his passing. My warmest thoughts and prayers go out to my cousins, and Ann for their incredible loss.
With love, Kelly
Thanks so much Kelly for sharing “Our Blue House” memories and we much appreciate your kind words….Susee
So sorry to hear of Cousin Dick’s passing. My parents, Tom & Carol Babb, spoke fondly & often of Dad’s cousins Dick, Betty & Mary.
Shelly,
Thank you so much for your condolences. We loved to hear all the old stories about the Babb kids and their cousins Tommy and Billy! Great memories….
Sorry about your lost, our thoughts and prayers are with you all
Thanks so much Keith for thinking of us. We know you are no stranger to grief. We appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Let your special memories of time with your Dad help sustain you through this difficult time.
We love you, Ken & Sharon
Thanks again Aunt Sherry & Uncle Kenny for your special thoughts. We so appreciate it.
My sincere sympathy and prayers are with your entire family.
Thank you so much Joycelyn, your kind thoughts are appreciated.
Ann, Susee & family- I am so sorry for your loss. Words just cannot express the feelings I had for Dick. I imagine they are very similar to the feelings that I have for my own dad -pride, admiration, respect, love. He was such an awesome individual, always so giving and also a lot of fun. I will miss him terribly but Clinton County as a community has suffered a tremendous loss with Dick’s death. Hopefully the residents will find ways to remember his many contributions. RIP Dick Babb….with much love from your Dem friend Shari
Thank you again Shari for your condolences and your “call of encouragement.” A true friend indeed….
Dear Gail, Aaron and family,
Please accept our sincere condolences on the passing of Dick. He was such a gentleman and will be greatly missed by many. Our prayers are with you.
Sincerely,
Phil and Janie Pidgeon
With heartfelt thoughts and deepest sympathy to your family during this most difficult time. We are so very sorry for your loss and you are in our thoughts and prayers. May God bless you and keep you in his care.
Sincerely,
Leonard & Sena Redmond
We all thank you very much and deeply appreciate your kind thoughts.
Please accept my deepest sympathy for I too know the pain of losing someone you love. May your family find comfort as I have in knowing that our loving heavenly Father promises us that very soon he will ‘swallow up death forever, and wipe the tears from all faces’ by means of his only-begotten son Jesus. (Isaiah 25:8) What a wonderful day that will be!
Thank you so much for your kind thoughts….
We are so sorry to hear of Dick’s passing. He was such a bright spot in our community. You always got a smile and kind words when you saw him. We were long time friends. Dick sold us our home when we moved to Wilmington.
Buell & Wilma McBrayer
Buell & Wilma,
Thank you so much. Dad admired and respected you both, also.
We appreciate your kindness.
Words alone, would never be enough to tell you how both Skip and I felt about Dick. He was more than just a friend, and our escapades through the past 15 years have brought us many fond memories. Ones that we will never forget. He was a man filled with a heart of gold, and always willing to help whenever needed. He loved his politics, and never turned away from a good argument with whomever wanted to challenge him. Lord help you if you did. The man was a walking encyclopedia and it was fun to watch him in action. We will miss him terribly and are so sorry for your loss…
Kim & Skip,
Thanks so much for sharing your “memories.” He was proud to call you both friends and certainly appreciated all your contributions to common causes, as do we!
Sorry about your loss. Thoughts and Prayers. May God bless you
Thank you both for your kind thoughts….
We will surely miss Dick. He was always willing to accept those not ‘from Clinton County’ into his circle of friends. Whenever we had any questions or problems, he was quick to respond. Now I’m sure he is organizing those in the afterlife as he did those of the county. I’m also sure he is looking over Ann as he always did.
Thank you both for your nice thoughts….I too am sure he is behind a podium with gavel in hand!
To us Dick Babb will always be “bigger than life”. He would always greet you with an enthusiastic exhuberant hand shake and a smile that you knew was genuine and sincere. If he took on a challenge you knew that he was in for the “long haul”. That was the kind of person he was. You will undoubtedly share many stories at his services most of which will be true but some maybe slightly embelished….and I can imagine that Dick will be enjoying them all as he always did, with that little smile and twinkle in his eye.
People like Dick are what helped make this country great! He was “good people” as the expression goes.
Dick you will be missed!
Mark And Tammy,
We certainly appreciate your kind words. Thank you for sharing your “memories” with all! I know he charished past family history as well as your friendships!
My first experience with Dick Babb was witnessing him as an auctioneer. I have discussed with him what he thought were the best auctioneers of the ones I have seen. He said no one he had ever seen was better than Darby as he was the only guy who could juice a crowd. I told Dick about the time I was at one of Roger Bennett’s auctions & my dad wanted to buy a cub tractor. At one point my little brother tugged on my dad’s sleeve & said “Dad, buy that tractor.” Roger Bennett heard what he said & turned to my dad “Paul, give me $50 more & buy that boy a tractor.” He bought the tractor. Dick had a big laugh. I have good memories from the times I have seen Dick and will remember him fondly. Greg Kinder
Greg,
Thank you for sharing your wonderful memories of Dad. He too, always had great stories with Paul and the guys! I witnessed a few “auction antics” myself thru the years!