Funeral Mass for MSG (Retired) Richard R. Hutchings will be 11:00 A.M. Friday, March 3, 2017 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church with Rev. Brian Buettner, pastor officiating.

Burial with full military honors will follow at Highland Cemetery under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

MSG (Retired) Richard R. Hutchings, age 65, of Lawton, passed away Friday, February 24, 2017 in Lawton.  He was born May 24, 1951 in San Antonio, TX to David and Paula Hutchings.

Richard attended his first 3 years of high school in Frankfurt, Germany, where he was named an "All Europe Athlete" in both Football and Basketball.  His family transferred to Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, where he graduated from Waynesville High school in Waynesville, MO in 1969. There he met and married his wife Chris in 1970.  He attended Cameron University on a basketball scholarship, receiving Bachelor's degrees in History, English, and Journalism.   He joined the Army in 1974 where he served at Ft. Polk, Ft. Sill, Turkey, Greece, Germany, Ft. Lewis, and Ft. Hood, and is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm.  During his military career, he played basketball for the Ft. Sill Cannoneers in 1974-75 and was player/coach for several military rugby teams from 1972 – 1995.  He was selected for the US Army Combined Forces Select Side Rugby Team in 1984. His military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (3 awards), the Army Commendation Medal (5 awards), and the Audie Murphy Award.

After he retired from the Army he was employed by various contractors in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait as an electronic engineer.

He is survived by his wife of over 46 years, Christine, his daughter, Heather and her husband Steve Monostori of Lawton, OK; his grandchildren, Holly, Hunter, and Haven Monostori of Lawton, OK; brothers, David Hutchings and spouse Debbie, Ok City, OK,  Robert Hutchings and spouse Brandi, Royce City, TX,  John Hutchings and spouse Birgit ;  Lawton, OK,   sisters Muriell Hurlbert, Florida, Rebecca Stolar & husband Jerry, Mansfield, TX,  Dorothy O'Connor, Mansfield TX, Christine Potter & husband George, Lawton, OK, Linda McGann,  Boston MA, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, James Hutchings.

In lieu of flowers, donation may be made to Elgin Public Schools, Attn: Special Education Program.