Richard L. “Blu” Blumeyer, 81, of Waterloo, Iowa died at Manor Care Health Services in Waterloo on Saturday, December 28, 2013, of natural causes.
Funeral Services will be 2:00 PM Friday January 3, 2014 at the Locke Funeral Home, Waterloo, Iowa. Committal Services will be 12:00pm Saturday, January 4, 2014 at the Sheridan Township Cemetery, Boyden Iowa.
Visitation is 4:00 to 7:00pm Thursday, January 2, at the Locke Funeral Home.
Memorials: American Red Cross (Black Hawk County Chapter) or (Greater Northwest Iowa), East High School Athletic Assoc. or Cedar Valley Hospice.
Condolences may be left at www.LockeFuneralHome.com
He was born on July 13, 1932 in Rural Matlock, IA, son of Ed and Mildred Grooters Blumeyer. He graduated from Sheldon High School and Sheldon Junior College with an Assoc. of Arts degree.
Morningside College, Sioux City with a Bachelor of Science degree where he was also a student athlete. Later he attended graduate school at the Univ. of Northern Iowa.
He taught and coached boys basketball and baseball teams in Twin Rivers High School, Bode, IA. Later he was a salesman for Craft‑Cochran Athletic Goods Co, Waterloo, Iowa for fifteen years. He was the general manager of the Waterloo Royals and Waterloo Indians Professional Baseball Teams for three years which he served on the Board of Directors for twenty-five years and was a part-owner. He was also the general manager of the Waterloo Black Hawks for one season. He scouted baseball talent as an associate scout for both the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals for a number of years.
He helped organize the Waterloo Merchants as a player and helped co-manage the team for thirty-five years winning nine state championships. With athletics being a big part of his life, he officiated basketball for thirty-five years and baseball for twenty-five years. He was inducted into the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association and Iowa High School Athletics Association Officials Halls of Fame. He was President of the Waterloo Sports of Sorts Club for twenty five years and the Iowa Amateur Baseball Association for fifteen years. He served in the US Army.
He was a follower and shareholder of the Green Bay Packers Football Team and loyal fan of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team for many years. Over the years, he enjoyed supporting Cedar Valley Area high school athletics and attending his grandsons’ sporting events.
He is survived by his daughter: Susan Robertson of La Porte City, IA. Two grandsons: Dallas and Damon Powell, both of Waterloo, IA. Sister: Marlys (Harold “Booty”) Hector of Sheldon, IA. Three nieces and one nephew.
He was preceded in death by his parents and niece Debbie Hofmeyer.
