Official Obituary of
Richard Kenneth Prien
June 29, 1934 ~ May 9, 2023 (age 88) 88 Years Old
Richard Prien Obituary
Richard Kenneth Prien (88) of Lock Haven, PA passed away on May 9, 2023.
He was born on June 29, 1934 to Clancy and Hazel (nee Brunk) Tinkler in Los Angeles, CA. His birth name was Bradford Richard Tinkler. Another son, James, was born but died within a month. His parents then divorced, leaving him for about 10 years to be raised by different foster parents and occasionally his maternal grandmother. It wasn't until 1945 when his mother married her third husband, Kenneth Wegner Prien, that his prospects improved. Two years later, he was invited to live with them and begin high school in Fort Worth, TX where Kenn Prien was serving in the U.S. Air Force. Although he was never officially adopted by Kenn Prien, he quickly grew to admire and respect him a great deal. While in Fort Worth he chose to legally change his name to Richard Kenneth Prien, in honor of his step-father, and for much of his life he introduced himself as Ken. Many years later he would say that he was forever grateful to Kenn Prien for being such a strong father role model. He did not like to imagine what a life without "Pappy" would have been.
After high school, R.K. went to Purdue University in Lafayette, IN to study engineering and to participate in Army ROTC. However, once there, he decided to major in History, drop ROTC, join the AXP Fraternity, and become involved in PlayShop (Purdue's student theater group). There he met his future wife, Elaine Hassler. They married in 1954 and had their first child the next year while still in school. Shortly before the birth of his own daughter, his mother and step-father had their only child, a daughter named Sheryl. R.K. was quite fond of his half-sister and stayed in touch with her, seeing her whenever he could throughout the years until her early death in 2010. After graduating from Purdue in 1955, R.K. got his Masters in History at the University of Wyoming in 1956. However, instead of pursuing a teaching career, he decided to become a U.S. Naval officer.
R.K. served his country from 1956-1978, retiring at the rank of Captain. He began as an Intelligence officer. But, after getting an advanced degree at the Naval Post-Graduate School in Monterey, CA in 1965, he served as a Meteorologist for the remainder of his career. He loved his time in the Navy... the people, the duty stations, the world travel, the educational opportunities, his time aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bennington, his time working for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and most especially... getting paid to talk about the weather. During this time, he and his wife had five more children, all at different duty stations. They also opened their home to a young Ecuadorian student who came to study at the Catholic University of America. He unofficially became part of the family, and eventually chose to make the U.S. his permanent home.
One of the most important events of R.K.'s life occurred in 1963 when he was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church. While he had attended a Catholic middle school called Transfiguration, it wasn't until he was stationed in Kenitra, Morocco that he responded to God's call to enter the Church. The rest of the family were baptized the next year. Upon retirement from the Navy in 1978, R.K. took the job of Director of Religious Education at St. Bernadette Church in Springfield, VA... a job he held until 1994. His Navy experience made him a natural leader in this new role. He ran the program efficiently and with great love, expanding it in many positive ways.
Another of the most important events occurred in 1979 when he was ordained a Permanent Deacon in the Diocese of Arlington, VA. This role helped define him, as much as his roles of husband, father, and Naval officer. He loved serving God in this capacity... the people, the baptisms/weddings/funerals he served at, assisting at Mass, preaching when called upon, running retreats, singing the Exultet at the Easter Vigil with his beautiful voice, and assisting the Bishop as his Master of Ceremonies at Confirmations.
In 1994 he retired from the DRE position, and since his marriage was ending in a divorce around the same time, R.K. chose to move in with his daughter Helen and follow her as she pursued her teaching career from Carbondale, IL to Lock Haven, PA to Rocky Mount, VA, and then back to Lock Haven. During this period, he enjoyed serving as a Deacon as long as he was able, visiting family (esp. reveling in being a grandfather and eventually a great-grandfather), visiting Disney World, reading, watching documentaries, watching Mass on EWTN, and praying. A happiness late in life was the discovery of four more half-sisters, children of his biological father Clancy and wife Martha, and getting to meet them at a family wedding. Life eventually began to slow down considerably for R.K. But, even toward the end when his mobility became severely limited and he needed help with his activities of daily living, he remained incredibly gracious to those around him... smiling, thanking people for their assistance, and sharing his many cherished memories. But most importantly, he remained grateful to God for all of His many blessings.
R.K. is pre-deceased by brother James Tinkler, half-sister Sheryl Prien, half-sister Sandy Tinkler, and son John Prien. He is survived by daughters Anita Prien, Helen Prien, and Karen Farabaugh (husband Michael, their children Kristen, Colleen with fiancée Stephen Dean, Emily with husband John Paul Janaro and daughter Maria, and Megan with husband Andy Toth). He is survived by sons Rich Prien and Kenneth Prien (wife Viki, her daughter Adina Gibson, and her children Aislinn and Alijah). He is survived by foster son Miguel Penafiel (wife Cathy, their children Christina, Adriana, and Michael). He is survived by half-sisters Robin Tinkler, Donna Sweeten, and Allison Smith.
Vigil will be held at Donald G. Walker Funeral Home, 231 High Street, Flemington, PA 17745 on May 17 from 5-7PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Immaculate Conception Church on May 18 at 11AM. Ashes will be inurned at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Charlottesville, VA on a date TBD. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to EWTN (the Catholic TV network) or the Veterans Administration.
He was born on June 29, 1934 to Clancy and Hazel (nee Brunk) Tinkler in Los Angeles, CA. His birth name was Bradford Richard Tinkler. Another son, James, was born but died within a month. His parents then divorced, leaving him for about 10 years to be raised by different foster parents and occasionally his maternal grandmother. It wasn't until 1945 when his mother married her third husband, Kenneth Wegner Prien, that his prospects improved. Two years later, he was invited to live with them and begin high school in Fort Worth, TX where Kenn Prien was serving in the U.S. Air Force. Although he was never officially adopted by Kenn Prien, he quickly grew to admire and respect him a great deal. While in Fort Worth he chose to legally change his name to Richard Kenneth Prien, in honor of his step-father, and for much of his life he introduced himself as Ken. Many years later he would say that he was forever grateful to Kenn Prien for being such a strong father role model. He did not like to imagine what a life without "Pappy" would have been.
After high school, R.K. went to Purdue University in Lafayette, IN to study engineering and to participate in Army ROTC. However, once there, he decided to major in History, drop ROTC, join the AXP Fraternity, and become involved in PlayShop (Purdue's student theater group). There he met his future wife, Elaine Hassler. They married in 1954 and had their first child the next year while still in school. Shortly before the birth of his own daughter, his mother and step-father had their only child, a daughter named Sheryl. R.K. was quite fond of his half-sister and stayed in touch with her, seeing her whenever he could throughout the years until her early death in 2010. After graduating from Purdue in 1955, R.K. got his Masters in History at the University of Wyoming in 1956. However, instead of pursuing a teaching career, he decided to become a U.S. Naval officer.
R.K. served his country from 1956-1978, retiring at the rank of Captain. He began as an Intelligence officer. But, after getting an advanced degree at the Naval Post-Graduate School in Monterey, CA in 1965, he served as a Meteorologist for the remainder of his career. He loved his time in the Navy... the people, the duty stations, the world travel, the educational opportunities, his time aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bennington, his time working for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and most especially... getting paid to talk about the weather. During this time, he and his wife had five more children, all at different duty stations. They also opened their home to a young Ecuadorian student who came to study at the Catholic University of America. He unofficially became part of the family, and eventually chose to make the U.S. his permanent home.
One of the most important events of R.K.'s life occurred in 1963 when he was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church. While he had attended a Catholic middle school called Transfiguration, it wasn't until he was stationed in Kenitra, Morocco that he responded to God's call to enter the Church. The rest of the family were baptized the next year. Upon retirement from the Navy in 1978, R.K. took the job of Director of Religious Education at St. Bernadette Church in Springfield, VA... a job he held until 1994. His Navy experience made him a natural leader in this new role. He ran the program efficiently and with great love, expanding it in many positive ways.
Another of the most important events occurred in 1979 when he was ordained a Permanent Deacon in the Diocese of Arlington, VA. This role helped define him, as much as his roles of husband, father, and Naval officer. He loved serving God in this capacity... the people, the baptisms/weddings/funerals he served at, assisting at Mass, preaching when called upon, running retreats, singing the Exultet at the Easter Vigil with his beautiful voice, and assisting the Bishop as his Master of Ceremonies at Confirmations.
In 1994 he retired from the DRE position, and since his marriage was ending in a divorce around the same time, R.K. chose to move in with his daughter Helen and follow her as she pursued her teaching career from Carbondale, IL to Lock Haven, PA to Rocky Mount, VA, and then back to Lock Haven. During this period, he enjoyed serving as a Deacon as long as he was able, visiting family (esp. reveling in being a grandfather and eventually a great-grandfather), visiting Disney World, reading, watching documentaries, watching Mass on EWTN, and praying. A happiness late in life was the discovery of four more half-sisters, children of his biological father Clancy and wife Martha, and getting to meet them at a family wedding. Life eventually began to slow down considerably for R.K. But, even toward the end when his mobility became severely limited and he needed help with his activities of daily living, he remained incredibly gracious to those around him... smiling, thanking people for their assistance, and sharing his many cherished memories. But most importantly, he remained grateful to God for all of His many blessings.
R.K. is pre-deceased by brother James Tinkler, half-sister Sheryl Prien, half-sister Sandy Tinkler, and son John Prien. He is survived by daughters Anita Prien, Helen Prien, and Karen Farabaugh (husband Michael, their children Kristen, Colleen with fiancée Stephen Dean, Emily with husband John Paul Janaro and daughter Maria, and Megan with husband Andy Toth). He is survived by sons Rich Prien and Kenneth Prien (wife Viki, her daughter Adina Gibson, and her children Aislinn and Alijah). He is survived by foster son Miguel Penafiel (wife Cathy, their children Christina, Adriana, and Michael). He is survived by half-sisters Robin Tinkler, Donna Sweeten, and Allison Smith.
Vigil will be held at Donald G. Walker Funeral Home, 231 High Street, Flemington, PA 17745 on May 17 from 5-7PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Immaculate Conception Church on May 18 at 11AM. Ashes will be inurned at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Charlottesville, VA on a date TBD. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to EWTN (the Catholic TV network) or the Veterans Administration.
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