Richard Lee Routh

Richard Lee Routh, an Indiana University educated Journalist, who had a long, storied career as a newspaper sportswriter and in public relations at Ford Motor Company, died on May 3 at his home in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was 91 and was all for Indiana - his Indiana. In fact, his last breath wishes for his beloved survivors included playing a few bars of the Indiana Victory song and a prayer of “fare thee well, Dick” as we sprinkle his ashes in some of the places that shaped his life.

Those cherished places include:

-His West Armstrong neighborhood in Frankfort, Indiana where he became his troop’s first Eagle Scout beginning a lifelong commitment to service and integrity. And his paper route where he delivered the Lafayette Journal Courier to 158 customers for five years saving $1400, which paid for 1-1/2 years of his college education.

-Fort Eustis, Virginia where he was an ROTC-commissioned second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Transportation Corps.

-Williamsburg, Virginia where he married his high school sweetheart and true love of 67 years.

-A brick English Tudor on Graceland Avenue in Indianapolis, the first home he and Carol bought together - his favorite - where they could hear Butler University’s “Starlight Musicals” from their porch, and he worked as a sportswriter for the Indianapolis Times.

-Nashville, Indiana where he embraced retirement, always living by the motto of “service above self”. He led the local Rotary International Club as president, taking great delight in awarding “Happy Bucks” and leading his fellow Rotarians in song. He also served on the board of the Brown County Community Foundation where he and Carol established a scholarship fund for IU students and was an active member at Nashville United Methodist Church. In true Hoosier fashion, he made regular visits to the Hob Knob where he always ordered his favorite: a delicious, breaded pork tenderloin sandwich - a local classic - and a generous helping of mouth-watering bread pudding.

-The academic giant of the Midwest - Indiana University, his alma mater, where he was a proud member of Acacia Fraternity and famously sported cream and crimson candy-striped pants while cheering the Hoosiers to victory in Assembly Hall.

Dick is survived by his beloved wife Carol; his favorite oldest daughter, Jennifer (Joe) Rivera, and grandsons, Christopher and Kevin; his favorite youngest daughter, Allison (Rob) DeVilbiss, and grandsons, Edan and Corbin; and his brother, Phil (Janice) Routh.

We will “give it our best college try” to get on living our lives to the fullest and will remember all that he said and did that pleasured us, file them in our memories, look to the heavens and smile. Catch our smiles and we’ll listen for the thank you in our ears.

Indiana, Our Indiana

Indiana, we're all for you

We will fight for

the Cream & Crimson,

For the glory of Old IU

Never daunted, we cannot falter

In the battle, we're tried and true

Indiana, Our Indiana

Indiana, we're all for you!

Fare thee well, Dick, Babe, Dad, and Gramps.

Memorial donations may be made to the Brown County-Indiana University Scholarship: Dick Routh to provide scholarship grants to graduates of Brown County High School to subsidize their attendance at Indiana University. https://browncountygives.org/