NORTH VERNON
Richard C. “Dick” Kage, 87, of North Vernon passed away at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, 2016, at his home.
Born Aug. 1, 1928, in Reed City, Michigan, he was the youngest child of August and Sylvia Kage, both of whom preceded him in death. On April 23, 1965, he married Alice JoAnn Corya who survives. The couple, who were married at the home of her parents, celebrated 50 years of marriage in April of 2015.
He graduated from Petoskey High School in Petoskey, Michigan, in 1946 and attended Valparaiso University from 1948 to 1952. He retired in March 1992 after 40 years of service with the state of Indiana. Dick was employed at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City from February 1952 until June 1957. He served as assistant to the warden. He moved to North Vernon in 1957 and was human resource director, assistant to the superintendent and superintendent on numerous occasions at Muscatatuck State Developmental Center at Butlerville. He was a U.S. Army veteran serving in the United States and Japan in 1946-47.
He was a charter member of Lord of Life Lutheran Church in North Vernon where he served in various capacities. In February 1991, then Gov. Evan Bayh named Dick a Sagamore of Wabash.
He was a founder and first president of Jennings County United Fund. He was a founder and life member of the board of directors of Jennings Villa, a member of the board of directors of North Vernon Senior Housing, a member of the Elks Club and a charter member of the Rotary Club.
He served as a volunteer Jennings County juvenile and probation officer during the 1960s and 1970s. In January 2003, he was appointed to the State Employees Appeals Commission by then Gov. Frank O’Bannon. He subsequently served as chairman of the commission.
Dick was an avid golfer and scored four holes-in-one after the age of 70. He was a member of former Muscatatuck Country Club and of St. Anne’s Golf Course.
Other survivors include a son, Bradley (Kimberly) Kage of North Vernon; a daughter, Victoria (Ken Gudino) Kage of LaPorte; a brother-in-law, John Slater of Franklin, Tennessee; and two granddaughters, Allyson Kay and Emily Elizabeth Kage, both of Indianapolis.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Robert and Wilbert Kage; three sisters, Ruth Christopherson, Viola Levereng and Wilma Slater; and a grandson, Christopher Hallie Kage.
The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Lord of Life Lutheran Church with the Rev. Adrian Krebs officiating. Burial will be in Vernon Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Sawyer-Pickett Funeral & Cremation Service.
Memorials may be made to Lord of Life Lutheran Church, North Vernon Senior Housing or Schneck Hospice.
Friends are invited to light a virtual candle or share a message of condolence in Mr. Kage’s memory at sawyerfuneralservice.com.