Obituary
Richard J. “Dick” Silverglade Mooney
August 17, 1923 – September 24, 2024
Richard J. “Dick” Silverglade Mooney, 101, of Benton, Arkansas, died September 24, 2024 after a lengthy illness. His life was a history book in itself. He was born in Cincinnati, grew up in West Virginia & New York City, and was living in Chicago until the early 1950’s when he was asked to help build the Alcoa plant in Benton. He liked Arkansas and Saline County so much that he decided to “retire” here in the 1960’s.
He did the moving part, but the retirement part didn’t stick. Mooney owned, operated, and sold more businesses than can be counted – most of them successful – but was best known in the business world for his crane sales and rental business, Dick Mooney Inc. However, on every form he ever filled out, under occupation, he listed himself as “ironworker.”
“I’ve sold cranes from Canada to South America,” Mooney said in a 2004 story in the Saline Courier. Mooney sold his crane business after the turn of the century, but never truly retired. He turned, instead, to charitable work, mostly helping young people anonymously. “It’s true many young people are successful today because of him,” his wife, Mary Kay, told Lynda Hollenbeck for the 2004 Courier story.
After his move to Arkansas, Mooney “retired” for about six months before opening a new steel erection business, BECO (Benton Erection Co.). He and a partner sold that business in 1972 to Vogt & Conant, which operated it until the early 1990’s.
Mooney was born Richard J. Silverglade on August 17, 1923. His father was Jewish, which inspired him to study Judaism late in life to learn about his roots, even though he was a Christian. In his early years, he was raised by his grandmother in Williamstown, West Virginia, then lived with his mother and step-father in Charleston, West Virginia, while spending summers with his biological father, Walter J. Silverglade, in New York City.
In addition to his biological father, he was preceded in death by his step-father, Albert Mooney, who adopted him, and his mother, Leona Hivley Mooney. Also, his grandmother, Mona Hivley; his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Kay and Herman Watts; and cousins, Elah Cassady and Albert Silverglade.
He leaves behind his beloved wife, Mary Kay Watts Mooney; daughter, Amber Mooney Prather; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Richard Watts and Lynn Kell; cousins, Paula Carlson and Craig and Mike Silverglade; and Grant Bain, who held a special place in his heart. He also is survived by a host of friends, many of whom shared a lunch table with him at Saline Memorial Hospital cafeteria.
Mooney was chosen as the “most beautiful baby” in Cincinnati, and his good looks continued to be recognized as he was voted “most handsome” in junior high and high school. He also was chosen as his high school’s Tyrone Power lookalike. He was a graduate of Charleston High School in West Virginia. He excelled in academics, played trumpet in the school band, and was an outstanding hockey player in high school, resulting in being recruited by colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada. He also loved to dance and was a jitterbug champion back in the day.
He turned down the college hockey offers and instead attended the University of Cincinnati, majoring in chemical engineering. He did, however, play semi-pro hockey for a time with the Dayton (Ohio) Ducks.
His studies landed Mooney an opportunity to go to Hanford, Washington, where he played a role in the development of the atomic bomb, meeting personally with theoretical physicist Robert Oppenheimer, who is credited with overseeing the bomb’s development.
After marrying Mary Kay, Mooney began enjoying Southern cooking and Southern gospel music, among other Southern things, but still maintained some of his “yankeeness”. Mooney lived life to the fullest and stories of his exploits are both legion and legendary. As a businessman, he was as tough as nails, confident, and outspoken, but also funny and kind. He loved animals and he never met a stranger.
Mooney enjoyed traveling with Mary Kay, having afternoon coffee with the “DD Table” group, and spending time at his second home on Lake Ouachita, which earned him the unofficial title of the Admiral of Navy landing.
A member of First Baptist Church of Benton, Mooney never stopped wanting to learn about the Bible and his Christian faith. He also was a prayer warrior (John 3:16).
He was a 32nd Degree Mason and a member of the Bethel Lodge 358 in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan.
The Mooney’s adventures included trips to Europe and the western United States, including a memorable stay at Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park. The Mooney’s also went on several cruises and won an onboard dance contest on an Alaska cruise.
Mooney was honored upon his 100th birthday as Mayor Tom Farmer declared August 17, 2023, as “Richard J. Silverglade Mooney Day” in Benton. County Judge Matt Brumley made a similar declaration for Saline County. Dignitaries, including former State House of Representatives Speaker and former State Senator Shane Broadway, spoke at the ceremony at Benton City Hall. A neighbor at Navy Landing, Broadway referred to Mooney as Uncle Dick and made reference to Mooney’s title as the landing’s Admiral. “I was also his driver,” said Broadway, who read letters from President Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Sanders celebrating Mooney on his special day.
Asked in 2004 what construction projects he had been involved in as a worker and business owner, Mooney answered, “There’s a million of them”. Pressed for a few specifics, he mentioned the addition to Saline Memorial Hospital; Interstate 430 bridge; additions at Baptist Health Medical Center; St. Vincent-Doctors Hospital; Arkansas Children’s Hospital; University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Park Plaza Mall; the complex on the Arkansas River that originally served as headquarters for the former Alltel Inc; Dillard’s corporate offices in Little Rock; J.B. Hunt building; many warehouses, including two for Wal-Mart at its corporate headquarters in Bentonville; several manufacturing plants; Entergy buildings; and several church construction projects.
Mooney also was instrumental in the first Christmas lighting ceremony of the Saline County Courthouse, an ongoing tradition during the holiday season.
Always the businessman, Mooney also launched several land and industrial property business ventures, leading the Benton Area Chamber of Commerce to present him with an award for leading the way in industrial development in Saline County. Perhaps his most glamorous business opportunity came during a fishing trip to Costa Rica, when he found out there was a gold mine for sale. “I’d always wanted a gold mine, so I became a partner in the deal,” he told the Courier. He kept his ownership stake for about five years before selling out.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Memorial donations may be given in Mooney’s memory to the Benton High School Class of 1964 Scholarship Fund, c/o Mary Kay Mooney, 701 Miller Cove, Benton, Ar 72019.
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