Richard Held Sr.

Richard Held Sr., age 89 of Somerset, Kentucky, passed from this life at the Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital on Saturday, August 16, 2025.

Funeral services will be held for Richard on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. EST in the chapel of the Southern Oaks Funeral Home with Rev. Paul Williams and Rev. Chris Jasper officiating. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in the Lakeside Memorial Gardens in Somerset, Kentucky at 12:00 p.m. Wednesday.

Richard enjoyed nature, you could find him camping or going on nature walks. He loved his family, attending his son’s basketball games and his three daughters’ band activities, Richard especially loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved singing, reading, and ministering to others. During the years of 1959-1977 he worked as an aerospace engineer, and he was a United Methodist Pastor from 1977-2017. His education included attending Lafeyette College in Easton, PA, a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Florida (1959), a Master’s Degree from Asbury Theological Seminary (1980), and a Doctorial Degree in Theology from Lake Charles Bible College. Richard was born in Nazareth, Pennsylvania on July 1st, 1936 to the late Edgar G. Held Jr., and the late Caroline (Wilson) Held.

Richard is preceded in death by his wife, Stella C. Held, whom he married on June 6, 1959; his father; his mother; and a granddaughter, Bethany Bagwell.

He is survived by a host of loving friends and family, some of those include his son, Richard Held Jr. (Michelle); his daughter Susan Garrett (Rudy), Sharon Howard (Scott), Pamela Held; grandchildren, Andrea Smith (Mike), Blake Holiday, Jenna Faye Thacker, Byron Howard, Michael Barrett, Adam Howard, Aaron Crutcher, Claire Howard; great grandchildren, Garrah Vanover, Zachary Reynolds, Brianna Reynolds, London Thacker.

Pallbearers include, Byron Howard, Adam Howard, Michael Barrett, Scott Howard, and Mike Smith with honorary pallbearers being Aaron Crutcher and Zachary Reynolds.