Richard Howard Dutton, 82, died peacefully Monday, February 14, 2022, at his home in Hallsville, MO. He was born December 26, 1939, at Laughlin Hospital in Kirksville, Missouri, the son of Dr. Howard Ulysses and Lucille Loma Davis Dutton. He was raised and schooled in Bethel (Shelby County) Missouri. His love of travel began with his mom, dad and brother. They traveled by car and train all over the United States and Alaska.
Richard married Karen Elizabeth Rainey on May 22, 1960, in Bethel, MO. Richard studied pre-med at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (Truman State University) in Kirksville and graduated with a B.S. Ed. Art in 1960. He received a M.A. Ed. in art from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Fall. He did post graduate studies from 1968-69 at Kansas State University, Manhattan in Curriculum Studies and Educational Technology. In 1972 Richard studied High Tech Ceramics at Boston College of Art in Massachusetts.
Mr. Dutton began teaching art at Scotland County R-1 Schools, K-12, Missouri, Centerville Public Schools and Junior College in Iowa, Eagle Grove Public Schools K-12 and Junior College also in Iowa. In 1967 he founded the art department at Indian Hills Community College in Centerville, IA where he taught drawing, painting, design, art appreciation and art history. He taught at both the Centerville and Ottumwa campuses for many years and the family moved to Ottumwa in 1980. Mr. Dutton led groups of students on trips to Chicago twice a year as well as trips to England, France and Italy. He was Chair of the Performing and Visual Arts Department. Chair of the Academy- a liberal arts honor society. Mr. Dutton was a regional board member representing IHCC on the Iowa Communications Broadband Statewide Fiberoptic network. He was the founding co-chair of Educational Assessment at Indian Hills. Mr. D “retired” from Indian Hills in 1999. In retirement he taught workshops, exhibited and was active in local artist groups. When Karen retired in 2001, they took their traveling to the next level. The couple explored Europe more extensively as well as taking extraordinary journeys to China, Egypt, India and the Middle East, meeting friends and family in each place they explored.
The history and culture of each placed informed Richard’s artworks. He painted wherever he was, bring home the memories on paper, rework and revisit each place.
Richard and Karen moved to Hallsville in 2005 to be closer to family and the culture of the University of Missouri appealed to them. Richard became a member of the Palette and Plein Aire group as well as the Columbia Art League. He especially loved painting at Finger Lakes Park. They took the RV to Tucson, AZ and Florida in the Winters until just a few short years ago when Richard declared that a man his age shouldn’t be driving and maintaining such a machine. Two years later he really did sell the RV and missed that lifestyle till this past year.
Richard is survived by his wife Karen, daughter Katherine (Matthew) Dutton-Gillett, Menlo Park, CA, son Brett (Nicole) Dutton, Hamburg, Germany, grandchildren, Madeline (Casey) Dutton-Gillett, Mountain View, CA, Sabrina Dutton, Austin, TX and Maxwell Dutton-Gillett, Menlo Park, CA., cousin Sue Dutton Skeeters, Mt. Pleasant, SC, sister-in-law Janet Mach Dutton, Kissimmee, FL, sister-in-law Karla (Alan) Kiser, Moberly, MO, brother-in-law Mike Rainey, Shelbina, MO, daughter-in-law Marina Bohl Dutton, Frankenthal, Germany, nieces and nephews. Richard was preceded in death by his father, mother and brother Dr. Jerry Lee Dutton. Richard was a member of the Rotary Club, Lions and Elks clubs of Centerville, IA, Alpha Kappa Lambda social fraternity and Phi Delta Kappa academic fraternity. Trinity Episcopal Church, Ottumwa, IA.
Memorials may be made to the following three organizations that Richard felt passionate about. Cherry Box Cemetery, Northeast Missouri State Food Bank, Orr Street Studios Education Fund.
Memorials may be left at or mailed to Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home, 408 East Morgan, St., Edina, MO 63537.
A memorial service will be held at Orr Street Studios on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, at 5 p.m.
Richard’s ashes will be interred in early summer at the cemetery located on his Century Farm at Cherry Box, Shelby County, MO.
Online condolences may be left at www.hudsonrimerfh.com
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