Richard L. Jolly

Richard “Dick” Jolly was born September 8, 1945 at Pleasantville, Iowa to Lorin Richard and Ruth Irene (Adamson) Jolly. He was the third of four children. Richard spent his youth working on the family farm. He attended Pleasantville Public School, graduating in 1963. He went on to attend Iowa State University graduating in 1968 with a double major in Animal Science and Ag. Education. During his college years, Richard joined the Army National Guard.

Richard started his teaching career at Palmer Consolidated School in Palmer, Iowa. He taught Voc. Ag. there from 1968-1971. During this time he met Ellen Hoppe in the ISU extension office. They were married in Pocahontas, Iowa on December 28, 1969.

In the summer of 1971, Richard and Ellen moved to Sully, Iowa as he had accepted the position of Voc. Ag. teacher with the Lynnville-Sully School. That same summer they worked to open Ellen’s Fabric Shop in Newton.

In the summer of 1972, Richard and Ellen were involved in a serious car accident near Moville, Iowa. Richard incurred head trauma that involved surgery, putting an end to his teaching career and changing who he was permanently.

After the accident Richard restarted the Jolly Painting business, which he had begun during his college years. The business allowed him social interaction and the ability for him to work at his own pace. Upon retirement in 2011, Richard and Ellen moved to Correctionville.

Richard was a people person who loved to talk. No person was a stranger. He enjoyed coffee time for the conversation and his long walks for exercise were only interrupted by the chance to talk to someone. Richard was admired as a very good Voc. Ag. teacher by his students, a teaching career that was cut short.

Those left to honor his memory include his wife of 46 years, Ellen; his three sons, Kyle (Deanne) Jolly of Roland, IA and their daughter Adaline; Brett Jolly of Des Moines, IA and his daughter, Roxanna; and Kevin (Katie) Jolly of Gladstone, MO and their son, Ethan; two brothers, Arland (Sharon) Jolly of Pleasantville, IA and Rodney Jolly of Pleasantville, IA; a sister, Joye (Don) Dillman of Pullman, WA; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents Lorin and Ruth Jolly; and his father-in-law, Melvin Hoppe.