Richard Ray "Dick" Hood

Richard Ray “Dick” Hood, 90, of Ewing, passed away Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at the SIH Memorial Hospital in Carbondale.

He was born in Herrin, IL on April 10, 1932, the son of Rev. James Albert & Nancy (Campbell) Hood.

He was married to Nancy (Lewis) Hood, and she passed away in 2002.

Mr. Hood had a long and distinguished career in the construction industry. He began his career as an Iron Worker, working on the Railroad Bridge over the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois. After several years he was drafted into the Army and because of his experience was assigned to the US Army Corp of Engineers Construction Battalion at Nancy France for eighteen months.

On returning home from the Army, he and his wife Nancy moved to Yorktown, Indiana where he was employed as a union Painter for several years.

He returned to Iron Working with Creviston Steel and enjoyed a long career with that firm.

Mr. Hood became an expert at installing, repairing and demolition of glass furnaces. He worked for the largest Glass Companies in the country including Ball Brothers Glass and Anchor Glass among others. Over the years he worked on Glass furnaces in forty eight different states. To support his glass furnace business, he and his associates established HAG Steel and KDR Enterprises to provide steel fabrication for his projects.

Dick retired after fifty years as a member of the Iron Workers Union. He was honored with a banquet and special pin for his safety record as a foreman without a fatal accident. A remarkable record for the Iron Worker business.

During his retirement he was a Partner with his son Jim Hood which is known as Hood Farms in Whittington, Illinois. He was an avid Pinocle player, he enjoyed his weekly Pinocle games with two different clubs. He never missed a game and cherished his many Pinocle friends. Dick was an avid outdoorsman, hunting, fishing, gardening and farming.

Mr. Hood was a 32nd Degree Mason and he was a Christian.

Mr. Hood is survived by his:

Daughter: Jennifer Jean Hood of Virginia

Son: Jim Hood of Whittington

Sister Gayle Herman of Wisconsin

Niece: Robin & Drago Kragulj of University Park, IL

Girlfriend: Katie Rowland of Christopher

Caregiver: Shelley Cockrum of West Frankfort

Brother-in-law: Judge Loren Lewis & wife Ruth of Benton

Sister-in-law: Jean Firebaugh of Bloomington, Indiana

Sister-in-law: Marilyn Dickey of Dayton, Ohio

Mr. Hood was preceded in death by his Parents, Wife, Granddaughter: Lacy Kay Hood, Siblings: Helen Wiemken, Ester Morris, Eugene Hood, Grace Nerlak, Elijah Hood, Vera Jean (Tommie) Hubber and Naomi Valli.

Funeral services and Masonic Rites will be held at 1:00 P.M. Tuesday, March 28th at the Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton. Burial with Military Rites conducted by the Benton American Legion & VFW Posts, and the Army National Guard Honor Squad will be in the Masonic & Odd Fellows Cemetery in Benton. Visitation will be from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. on Tuesday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made to the Masonic & Odd Fellows Cemetery

For more information or to send online condolences please visit www.mortonjohnstonfuneralhome.com

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