Richard Lee Epard

Richard Lee Epard, “Dick” Epard, 86, of Colby, KS passed away peacefully on July 3, 2026, at 11:30 p.m. in Denver, CO surrounded by loved ones.

Born on July 25, 1939, at Fitzsimons General Hospital in Denver, Richard was the son and only child of Eleanor (née Ninemire) and Leslie Epard of Colby. After graduating from Colby High School in 1957, he attended Kansas State University in Manhattan, where he was president of the Theta Xi fraternity and received a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics and Accounting, and later a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics.

On July 17, 1965, Richard married Neva VanDeWege of Almena, KS, at the Norton First United Methodist Church in Norton, KS. Together they built a beautiful life and shared nearly 61years of marriage.

Richard was involved in the banking industry for 30 years. He began his professional career at Bank of America in Hanford, California, in 1965, where he worked for 10 years. In 1975, he and Neva moved to Colby, where he worked at Farmers and Merchants Bank as a loan officer for the next 20 years, ultimately retiring as bank president in 1995 to focus full-time on maintaining and growing the Epard Century Farm.

Richard was a well-known and well-respected community leader in Colby. He was a member of the Colby Jaycees, Colby Ambassadors, Thomas County Historical Society, Colby Chamber of Commerce, and Thomas County Fair Board. He played an integral role in bringing the local ABC television affiliate, KLBY, to Colby. He supported youth sports, including wrestling and the Colby swim team, in which his sons participated. Furthering his strong interest and belief in agriculture, he was board President of the regional co-op, Frontier-Ag, and served approximately 10 years on the Land-O-Lakes Board of Directors representing Region 3. Later in life, Richard served approximately 10 years as a member of the Pete Henry Scholarship Foundation through 2025, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

A man of integrity, Richard was committed to his family and community. He demonstrated through action his love and appreciation for Colby. He was known as intelligent and witty, always good for a wry one-liner when you least expected it. Rich enjoyed collecting and restoring John Deere tractors and antique cars. He was an excellent woodworker skilled at restoring and staining antique furniture. He collected coins, toy trains, antique toys, and enjoyed researching family genealogy. He and Neva were avid K-State football fans and season ticket holders.

Richard is survived by his loving wife, Neva; his two sons, Cameron (Jennifer) and Kenton (Emilie); his five grandchildren, Lauren, Dax, Prescott, Georgia, and Beckett; his brother-in-law, Harlan VanDeWege; and his nieces, nephews, and several extended family members.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his granddaughter, Jillian Jo Epard.

Visitation is 5-7:00 PM Thursday, July 9, 2026, at Baalmann Mortuary, Colby. A funeral service will be held on Friday, July 10, 2026, at 10:30AM at the Colby United Methodist Church, with burial in Beulah Cemetery, Colby. The family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to the Thomas County Historical Society and mailed in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit baalmannmortuary.com