Richard (Dick) Bergen Raynor, age 76, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly October 29th at his home near Mt. Carmel in Clermont County. He will be greatly missed by his wife of 50 years, Gudren (ne’e Werner) who he met while serving in the US Army in Germany. They were married in Perry, Iowa, May 5, 1963. Richard is also survived by his two daughters: Andrea (Dwight) Menchhofer, of Blue Ash, Ohio, and is an art teacher in the Lakota school system. His younger daughter is Nicole (Shawn) Hopper, a partner in Eye4designinteriors of Ft. Thomas, Kentucky. He was extremely proud of his five grandchildren: Erik and Bryce Menchhoffer and Olivia, Jackson and Sam Hopper. Dick is also survived by his sisters: Susann (Bob) Hill of Alpaca Peace Ranch, Colorado, and Carol (Harold) Hill of Minburn, Iowa. His parents, Bergen & Dorothy (ne’e Smith) preceded him in death. Dick was a film and video producer for 45 years, most of his career as a Director-Editor and partner in Kibby Raynor Productions, first in Anderson Township, then in a studio within the Park50 Technecenter near Milford, Ohio. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa, but grew up and attended school in Perry, Iowa, before receiving a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Iowa. After serving as a Russian language monitor for the US Army near Meissner, Germany, he began his true passion, film production, at the Virginia State Dept. of Education in Richmond, Virginia, in 1964. There followed other positions in film production at Indiana University, Terre Haute, Indiana; Grant Film Productions, Jeffersonville, Indiana, and Producers International, Cincinnati, Ohio, then formed Kibby Raynor Productions with his life-long friend, Art Kibby of Anderson Township, in 1974 until his retirement in 2008. Richard had many loves besides his family and many friends. He liked the mix between the technical and the artistic aspects of film and video production, and was a skilled editor, sound recordist and script writer as well as proficient in directing documentary, corporate and training films and many TV commercials. He thoroughly enjoyed live theater, and has been active for many years in the community theaters of Mariemont Players, Plainville, Ohio, and Village Players of Ft. Thomas, as director, actor and sound designer. He also gave back to the community as a reader for the blind, researching and recording scientific and technical articles – fascinated as he was with technology and science. Dick was especially fond of computers and any and all electronic devices. He enjoyed travel, symphony music, reading, gourmet cooking, the family dogs and cats, discussing politics, family history and especially his grandchildren’s achievements in swimming and tennis. Richard’s family and friends within the theater and video production communities will miss him very much for his infectious laugh, his humor, skill, intelligence and kindness. In memory of Dick’s longtime love of theater and his many contributions to Mariemont Players, donations marked Dick Raynor Memorial may be sent to: Mariemont Players, 4101 Walton Creek Road, Cincinnati, OH 45227. and/or In memory of Dick’s enthusiastic support of his grandchildren’s swimming and sports activities, donations may also be sent to Nicole Hopper, 67 Bivouac Ave, Ft. Thomas, Kentucky 41075-2202.
A Celebration of Life memorial for family and friends is planned for Saturday, Dec 14 at 2:00 PM at Mariemont Players community theater, 4101 Walton Creek Road, Cincinnati, OH, 45227 (between Mariemont and Terrace Park just off Wooster Pike). Contributions to the Dick Raynor Memorial Fund will be used to purchase and plant a tree in Dick’s honor at the theater.
Leave a Condolence