Richard Lee Beal, 72, Harrisonville, Missouri, formerly of Kansas City, Missouri, died Sunday, October 13, 2013 at his home. Visitation will be from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Thursday, October 17 at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Harrisonville.

Richard was born August 20, 1941 in Independence, Missouri and had lived in the Kansas City, Missouri area for most of his life. He had worked as a Kansas City Police officer for 15 years. He also worked at Alliant Tech Systems (ATK) at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant as a furnace operator for 14 years. Richard also worked for Professional Escorts in North Kansas City for over 30 years as a funeral escort. Richard had just moved to Harrisonville on September 19 of this year.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond W. and Della B. (Stagg) Beal. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, of the home; one brother, Ray Beal and his wife, Jan, Mankato, Minnesota; two sons, Raymond "Ray" Beal and his wife, Jill, Harrisonville, Missouri and Marty Cline and his wife, Mary Jo, De Soto, Kansas; three daughters, Delora Beal, Maquoketa, Iowa, Julia Beal and her wife, Samantha Jackson, Independence, Missouri and Rhoda M. Chalmers and her husband, David, Austin, Texas; 7 grandchildren, Codey Miller, Blake Miller, Gage Miller, Olivia Cline, Anna Cline, Michael Beal and Steven Beal; and 10 great-grandchildren.