Richard Tribbey

Richard A. Tribbey, 69, of Victoria, Texas, formerly of Rushville, Illinois, died at his residence on Thursday, May 28, 2020.

He was born September 6, 1950, as the beloved son of the late Herschel and Lillian Tribbey of Rushville, Illinois. Survivors include his siblings Allen (Sherry) Tribbey of Carthage, Texas; Barbara (Harold) Sargent of Libertyville, Illinois and Rushville; John (Linda) Tribbey of Rushville; Jerry (Denise) Tribbey of Oshkosh, Wisconsin; 9 nieces and nephews, and 8 grandnieces and grandnephews. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by 2 nephews: Benjamin H. Sargent and David L. Tribbey.

Richard graduated from Rushville High School with the class of 1968 and from Spoon River College in 1970. He was drafted into the Army in 1970 with a tour of duty in Viet Nam from March 1971 to January 1972, where he was a Chinook helicopter mechanic, helicopter crew chief and radio operator. He was discharged on February 15, 1972 as an early separation for overseas returnee. He earned a bronze star of which he told very few people, never being one to draw attention to himself. After his military service he returned to Rushville, worked with his father and older brother at Tribbey Implement Company, and earned a finance degree from Western Illinois University in 1977.

He left Illinois for south Texas where he worked for a brief time in banking. He became an over-the-road trucker across the U.S.A., first for a transport company and later as an independent contractor for 30 years. When work was required on weekends and holidays, he would volunteer in order to let drivers with families remain at home. When his travels brought him through Illinois, he would stop in Rushville to visit with his parents and family. In later years he began hauling products in Texas only. He retired from trucking for 18 months and completed an airplane mechanics license. He later returned to driving petroleum trucks in south Texas only.

In recent years he renewed his pilot’s license and began working on a Piper airplane he had purchased. He was a lifelong learner frequenting local libraries to read history and other areas of interest and to get his emails and pictures of nieces and nephews. He also developed a knack for the challenges of Sudoku. He cared for animals that entered his property. He was a blessing, friend and helper to his neighbors in south Texas.

He lived a simple quiet life, not encumbered by a lot of material possessions. He lived his faith daily by being considerate, kind, and helpful. He was extremely generous with his nieces and nephews. He was an honorable, honest man who will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.

Graveside Services will be held at 4:00 PM, Sunday, September 6, 2020, his 70th birthday, at the Rushville City Cemetery, in Rushville, with David Haney officiating.  Memorials may be given to the Schuyler County Humane Society, Rushville, Illinois, Humane Society Dorothy Hanna O’Connor Pet Adoption Center (135 Progress Dr. Victoria, Texas 77905); Victoria Public Library, technology department (302 N Main Street, Victoria, Texas 77901 (www.victoriapubliclibrary.org/); or University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030).

Condolences can be sent to Allen E. Tribbey (asmt@msn.com), John Tribbey (tribcpa@frontiernet.net) , Jerry Tribbey ( jdtribbey@twc.com), and Barbara T. Sargent (btsargent@yahoo.com)