Obituary of Royce Hitchcock

Kenneth Royce Hitchcock was born in Santa Monica, California on November 12, 1942 to Okley Kenneth and Betty Lee (Pelstrom) Hitchcock. He spent his first years in California and moved back to Bird City, KS in 1944 when his Dad was deployed overseas for WWII. In the spring of 1950 the family moved to the Beverage Ranch south of Burlington to farm. Royce attended school through the 7th grade at the Smokey Hill schoolhouse when the family moved to Burlington. Following high school graduation in 1962, Royce moved to Denver and worked at Martin Marietta missile factory until he was drafted into the Army in July 1964. He went to basic training and AIT in Fort Benning, GA. Following AIT, he served a one-year tour in Vietnam. After his discharge from the Army in 1966, Royce returned to Burlington to work on the family farm. He also began manufacturing farm machinery with his father, Kenneth, and brother, Duane. In the early 70’s, the manufacturing business had grown so Royce and Duane stopped farming and devoted their full-time effort to the business. Royce and Duane worked side by side for the next 35+ years building the business to the present day Hitchcock, Inc. Royce had many hobbies and interests throughout his life, these included: cars; dirt bike racing; motorcycles; airplanes; racecars; model trains, and; remote control airplanes. In his opinion, the bigger the challenge the project posed, the more enjoyment he got out of it. He loved taking something someone else would consider junk and turn it into a showcase. For example, in 1971, he and Duane drug a 1930 model-A sedan out of a creek bed with visions that everyone else thought were crazy. That car went on to win Grand National Champion at the 1974 Street Rod Nationals in St. Paul, MN. That project sparked another challenge that resulted in another national award winning car, a rare 1933 Dodge Sedan Delivery. From street rods he moved on to stock car racing, which may have been his real passion. In the 80’s and 90’s, with his Dad, Duane and many other helpers and supporters, he for raced cars. He rolled so many racecars that track announcers around the area nicknamed him “Rolls Royce.â€? Naturally, he excelled, winning several track championships. His love for racing never died, and ironically, he was returning from a race, anxious to go to another race, on July 20th when he wrecked his motorcycle near Norton, KS. In recent years, Royce became extremely devoted to his two children, Michelle and Jonathan. He loved to spend time enjoying life and working on projects with them. Over 4th of July weekend, he and Susie made a vacation out of helping Michelle and her fiancé, Tom, with a challenging project to “saveâ€? a garage that had foundation problems and severe termite damage. During wheat harvest, Royce loved going to the field and spending time with his son, Jonathan. Royce and his longtime companion, Susie Richards, spent a lot of special times together traveling and riding motorcycles. They even made the famous Run for the Wall trek to Washington, DC on their Harleys in 2003. They loved to take their camper, with motorcycles in the back, and head off to wherever the road led them. These were special times for both of them. Royce brought many fresh ideas and improvements to the community during his 12 years on the Burlington city council. He also served the community for many years on the Burlington Volunteer Fire Department. Royce was very patriotic and was proud to serve in the VFW in his later years. His patriotism and love of the flag was enhanced by his daughter’s service in the U.S. Navy. Every time she would get a promotion or new assignment, he would swell up with pride and brag to anyone who would listen. Royce took his last motorcycle ride on July 20th, 2008 and his last airplane ride on August 1st, 2008 when his brother, Duane, and his daughter, Michelle, flew him home from Wichita so he could pass away at home, with his loving daughter and brother holding his hand. He will be missed terribly but never forgotten. Royce was preceded in death by his father. He is survived by his children, daughter Michelle and her husband Tom Kriss and their children Tayler and Tessa of Emporia, Kansas, his son Jonathan of Burlington, his mother Betty Lee of Burlington, one brother Duane and his wife Barb of Burlington, and one sister DeAnn Guy and her husband Ed of Colby. He is also survived by his longtime companion Sue Richards and her daughter Gianina Ridder and her husband Kurt of Burlington and their children Ashley, Brooke, Cassidy and Cody, her son Jim and his wife Joni Richards of Mitchell, Nebraska and their children Austin and Catrina, her son Landon and his wife Dana Richards of Burlington and their children Dalton and Dylan, and son Tyler and his wife Stephanie Richards of Wray and their children Emily and Brody, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, family and friends. Memorial services for Royce were held on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 11:00 AM at the Outback Park in Burlington with Reverend Tom Peacock officiating. Inurnment was held in the Columbarium at the Fairview Cemetery in Burlington. There was no visitation. Memorials may be made in Royce’s name to the Wounded Warrior Project and may be left at or sent to the Bank of Burlington, Burlington, Colorado. Friends may go to www.lovefuneralhomes.com to leave a message of condolence for the family and to sign their online register book. Funeral services were entrusted to Love Funeral Home in Burlington. “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely and in a pretty and well-preserved body but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly exhausted and proclaiming, WOW, what a wild ride!â€?