Richard D. Vogel was born September 27, 1956 to Trent and Judy Vogel in Hampton, Iowa, where his father and grandfather operated the family funeral home. Rick graduated from Hampton High School. He then attended Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, Wartburg College in Waverly, and the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science graduating in 1980.  Rick was a fourth generation funeral director.

Rick began his internship with Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell, and began working for Oppold Funeral Home in Waterloo. In 1986, Rick purchased Surls Funeral Homes in Iowa Falls, Willams and Alden, where he met Kelly Krause. They were married in 1987 and living over the Alden Funeral Home. In 1989, they moved to Indianapolis, Indiana where Rick developed an interest in Indy racing.

In 1991, Rick and Kelly moved to Marshalltown with the purchase of Pursel Davis Funeral Home. Rick expanded the building to include better handicap accessibility and the first crematory in Marshall County. Rick and Kelly continued to expand their business with the purchase of Union Funeral Home in Union in 2000, Johnston Funeral Home in Conrad in 2006, and most recently the purchase of Estel-Perrin in Marshalltown, Goettsch-Perrin in Gladbrook, Wensel-Perrin in State Center, and Rose Hill Memorial Gardens. Rick was an active member of New Hope Christian Church, Promise Keepers, Rotary Club, the local, state and federal level of Ducks Unlimited, Marshall County I-Club, B.P.O. Elks Lodge #312, Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge #313, Marshall Masonic Lodge #108 AFAM.

Rick loved spending time with his family on Lake Okoboji. He also enjoyed gardening, yard work, cutting fire wood with his kids, and Friday nights at the race track watching his 2X race car being driven by Mike OLear. On March 21, 2007, Rick died suddenly of endocarditis.

Rick has left behind a legacy of honesty, integrity and compassion not only through the families he has help throughout the years, but also in his community donating both his services, and financially to make a better, stronger community. Rick will be dearly missed by his wife of 19 years, Kelly, and their children, Anthony, Ariadne, Alyssa, and Alayna.