P. R. "Richard" Goughnour was born Dec. 1, 1931, in Appanoose County, Iowa, son of Opal June Boyer Goughnour Pearson. After attending a one-room country school through the eighth grade, he attended high school and graduated from Moravia, Iowa, in 1948.
He worked as a linotype operator in a weekly newspaper office, the Moravia Union, during his high school days. From there he moved, in 1948, to the Maxwell Tribune, Maxwell, Iowa another weekly newspaper. In 1949 he went with the Altoona Herald, Altoona, Iowa, again a weekly newspaper.
In 1951 he volunteered for service in the United States Army, and was assigned to the Engineer Corps during the Korean Conflict. Following Army duty, he returned to his job with the Altoona Herald.
April 11, 1953, Richard married his high school sweetheart, Virginia Carter. In 1956, the Goughnours moved to Mediapolis, where Richard was employed on a purchase agreement, and June 1, 1957, he and Virginia became the owners of the Mediapolis New Era, a weekly newspaper, established in 1874. The new owners immediately began developing a commercial printing plant.
Since 1957 the Iowa Press Association has awarded “Certificated of Awards” to the Mediapolis New Era in the following categories: 1959, second Place – News Picture, Richard Goughnour; 1969, third place – Community Service, and honorable mention, Use of Illustrative Material; 1971, second place – Plus Business; 1972, third place – Sports Photo – Richard Goughnour; 1978, honorable mention – Editorial Page, and honorable mention – Use of Color; 1979, first place – General Excellence; third place – News Story, honorable mention – Feature Story, Diana Nollen, and honorable mention – Color in Advertising; 1981, first place – Editorial Excellence, Richard Goughnour, and third place – Feature Story, Diana Nollen; 1982, first place – Editorial Excellence, second place – News Story – Diana Nollen, second place – Reporting Environmental News – Diana Nollen, second place – Best Advertising Idea – Joyce Spitznogle, second place – General Typographical Improvement, third place – Single Subject picture Story – Rick Riley; 1983, first – Editorial Excellence.
Richard started saving and recycling scrap paper, then turned the project over to the local Boy Scouts who have kept the project going for years. He was also instrumental in starting the Elderly Transportation program, and later turned that over to the city and Federal Government. Richard was a member of the original board of Make Today Count, a world-wide organization for cancer patients, and served as Board President for three years. He ran the PA system at high school football games for ten years, and was active in Little League and Youth League baseball for ten years.
He was involved in getting the Legion (where he was Commander) to lease ground for the construction of two regulation-size Little League and Slow Pitch lighted baseball diamonds. This project has now been completed and the diamonds are under heavy use.
He served as president of the Mediapolis Business Club. He was involved in the construction of a low-rent housing project for the elderly, in Mediapolis and held a real estate brokers license for 38 years. He was awarded “Volunteer of the Year” award for 1995 by the Iowa Newspaper Association. Served as executive Vice President of the Burlington/West Burlington Chamber of Commerce, member of the board, then Chairman of Burlington Convention and Tourism Bureau.
He was a member of Burlington Kiwanis Board of Directors then President in 1996-1997, then became Iowa/Illinois District Lt. Governor in 1998-1999. Richard was a past recipient of the Kiwanis Leroy Award 2015-2016. Member of Board of Directors then President of the Burlington Golf Club 2002-2003 and served on the Legacy Committee.
Mr. Goughnour’s hobbies included fishing, golfing, bowling and travel. The family is a member of the First Christian Church Disciple of Christ. He sang in the church choirs for 50 years and held numerous positions.
Survivors include his wife Virginia of Burlington, children Rick (Lisa) Goughnour of Quincy, Ill., Reta (Steve) Krieger of Burlington, Randy (Karen) Goughnour of Omaha, Neb. and Rhonda (Thomas) Stoller of Roland, Iowa; grandchildren Kevin (Hande) Goughnour, Jessica (Jordan) Case, Brian (Melissa) Krieger, Deanne (James) Lessard, Dan (Prissilia) Krieger, Ryan (Anna) Goughnour, Shane (Aryannah) Goughnour, Nicole (Caleb) Steffensmeier and Alicia (Robert) Harris; great grandchildren Avery Metcalf, Samuel “Sam” Goughnour, William “Will” and Agatha Case, Olivia and Lauren “Lolo” Krieger, Jordan, Lillian, Noah, Zachary and Faith Lessard, Camila and Javier Krieger, Frederick “Freddie” Goughnour, Gwendolynn “Gwen” Goughnour, Joelle and Amelia Steffensmeier, Galvin Goughnour, Camden Steffensmeier, Payton, Harper and Boyer Harris.
He was preceded in death by his mother and stepfather Harry Pearson.
The celebration of life will be at noon, Friday, Nov. 10 at First Christian Church with Reverends David Yonker and Brooke Anthony officiating. Military Rites will be performed by the Burlington Area Veterans Honor Guard. The family will receive friends from 10:30 a.m. until the time of service. Inurnment will be at a later date in Fairview Cemetery Moravia, Iowa.
In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established for the Burlington Kiwanis Scholarship Fund.