By Deborah Larsen
Richard Earl “Dick” Masters
Richard Earl “Dick” Masters was born in Elkton, Michigan, on January 3, 1925, the son of Leland and Eva Wiltse Masters. The Masters family moved to Rochester when Dick was a teenager and lived on West Fifth Street (now University Drive). Dick attended Rochester High School, where he was a multi-sport student athlete and quarterbacked the Falcon football team. He graduated in the class of 1942, and after high school, he was employed at McAleer Manufacturing Company in Rochester.
In August 1943, Dick entered the U.S. Army Air Forces. He trained in gunnery at Kingman Field, Arizona, and was sent overseas to Italy as a gunnery instructor in April 1945. He was assigned to the 97th Bombardment Group, which flew the B-17 “Flying Fortress.” After the surrender of Japan, Dick was assigned to the occupational air force in Europe.
After the war, Dick married, started a family, and worked for Lear Manufacturing and Higbie Manufacturing. He moved his family to St. Charles, Illinois, in 1952 and founded a firm representing manufacturers. In retirement, he was a real estate agent. In his community, Dick was active with Boy Scouts of America, the American Legion, and his church.
Richard Earl Masters died at age 95 on June 5, 2020, and was laid to rest in St. Charles, Illinois.