RICHARD "DICK" LAVATY

LAKE OZARK -- Richard Thomas "Dick" Lavaty Sr., 71, formerly of Oak Brook, Ill., and a resident of Lake Ozark died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1998, at Lake Ozark General Hospital in Osage Beach.

He was born June 20, 1926, at Berwyn, Ill., the son of Thomas James and Anna Caroline Hlava Lavaty. He first married Dolores Victor, who died in February 1972. He married Della Lee McClure on Aug. 7, 1973, at Sikeston.

Lavaty was a graduate engineer and for 43 years co-owned Lavaty Engineering Co. in LaGrange, Ill. He was a World War II veteran and served in the U.S. Navy.

He is survived by his wife of Lake Ozark; two sons, Richard T. Lavaty of Tucson, Ariz., and Alan S. Lavaty of Aurora, Ill.; a stepdaughter, Carol Friedheim of New Gloucester, Maine, and three stepgrandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.

Visitation will be after 9:30 a.m. Friday at the Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston. Service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Jim Guffie officiating. Burial will be at Garden of Memories Cemetery in Sikeston.