Richard Sherman Bilyeu

Richard Sherman Bilyeu, age 78, of Grove, Oklahoma, passed away on Monday, November 21, 2022.

Visitation will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, December 8, 2022, at Dengel & Son Mortuary – Louisburg Chapel, 1 Aquatic Drive Louisburg, KS 66053. Graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Louisburg.

He was born on Saturday, August 19, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois, son of the late William and Eva (Reynolds) Bilyeu. Richard is preceded in death by his wife Helen (Haefele) Bilyeu, sister Sharon (Bilyeu) Potter, brother William Bilyeu Jr., and his first wife, Sheila (Pile) Bilyeu.

He is survived by his sisters, Mary Ann (Bilyeu) Howell and Carolyn (Bilyeu) Gilmore, children; Angie (Bilyeu) Tipton, Carie Bilyeu, Scott Bilyeu, Sandi (Frey) Reddin and Marc Frey, grandchildren; Skye (Bilyeu) Fiel, Nicholas Tipton, Saige Bilyeu, Seth Bilyeu, Nick Reddin, Hayden VanLaningham and seven great grandchildren.

Raised in Kansas City, KS, Richard graduated from Washington High School in 1962. From a young age, he demonstrated his belief in hard work by working for two different railroads simultaneously. He proudly served his country in the Army and was stationed in Fort Carson, CO until September 1969.

In January 1965, Richard married Sheila Pile and raised their three children together in Kansas City, KS before relocating to Grove, OK in 1978. He commuted back and forth between Kansas City and Grove for many years as a union pipefitter. After their divorce, he moved back to Kansas City where he later met and married Helen (Haefele) Frey in 1996. After retirement Richard and Helen moved back to Grove where they lived for the remainder of their lives.

Richard was a proud member of the Union Pipefitters Local 533 for well over 50 years. He took a great deal of pride in his work and known to be a master of his trade.

In his spare time, he loved to tinker with classic cars, especially Mopars and even built a few race cars of his own. Other interests over the years included hunting, fishing, boating, Nascar, grilling, football and watching old westerns. He had a gift of gab and was always willing to shoot the breeze with friends and family.

Although Richard was known to be a little hard-headed and stubborn at times, he was loved and respected by many. He will be greatly missed.