Richard Hardman Raney

Richard “Dick” Hardman Raney, 88, of Lawrence passed away May 16, 2017. He was born July 2, 1928, to Richard M. and Mildred Hardman Raney in Osborne, Kansas.
Dick graduated Osborne High School and entered KU in 1945. He earned degrees in business administration in 1950 and pharmacy in 1952. In June 1952, he married Kathleen Larson, also a KU graduate. They had 2 wonderful children, Michelle in 1954 and Richard B. in 1955. Dick and his father founded the first Raney Drug Store at 9th and Massachusetts. They later opened one at 9th and Iowa and another at 18th and Massachusetts. He and his father would go on to develop the Hillcrest Shopping Center at the 9th and Iowa location. Dick operated these stores for 46 years before selling them to the Kroger Co.
An avid hunter and fisherman, Dick enjoyed sharing his love of the outdoors with his children, grandchildren, great­grandchildren and friends. He enjoyed spending summer months in Pinedale, Wyoming, after retiring. There he and Kathleen would host family and friends. He was also a dedicated tennis player for many years.
During his years in Lawrence, Dick served on many boards, including the Ballard Center, Cottonwood, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, Salvation Army, KANU, KU’s Natural History and Biodiversity Museum, and Friends of the KU Library. He was elected to the Lawrence City Commission and served as mayor in 1967. He was instrumental in the passage of the Lawrence Fair Housing ordinance, which provided housing protections to all citizens of Lawrence, and the development of the Lawrence public pool. Several of these experiences have been covered in books, including Bill Moyers’ Listening to America. He was a member of the Lawrence Rotary Club, and a member of the Plymouth Congregational Church for 71 years. As well as founding member of the Saturday noon lunch group.
Dick was preceded in death by his parents; son, Richard B. (1983); daughter, Michelle (2006); and wife, Kathleen (2015). He is succeeded by his grandchildren, Jehren Eugene of Overland Park, Kansas; Jonathan Richard and Fernanda Raney of Lawrence; great­ grandchildren, Jackson Richard and Gabriela Santos of Lawrence, and Amora Michelle and Roman Curtis of Overland Park, Kansas.
A private inurnment will take place at Pioneer Cemetery followed by a service at Plymouth Congregational Church at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 24, 2017.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Plymouth Congregational Church or the Lawrence Memorial Hospital Oncology Unit in his name and may be sent in care of Warren­-McElwain Mortuary.
Online condolences may be posted at warrenmcelwain.com.
Please sign this guestbook at Obituaries.LJWorld.com.