Richard (Dick) George Greisch

Richard (Dick) George Greisch died of a heart attack on Tuesday afternoon, November 22, 2022. After his annual weekend of deer hunting, Richard was preparing to return to his partner, Carolyn, and Bucky Bear in Manitowoc. Richard is survived by his fiancée partner Carolyn Lanza of Manitowoc.

Richard was born on April 20, 1937, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He and his mother’s family moved to Sheboygan to live with his grandfather, George Pfotenhauer. His mother, Bernice, met Harold Greisch, who adopted Richard and his sister Pat when Richard was five. The two siblings walked to school both ways “uphill”, often snow blowing in their faces, with little brother picking up coal along the way!

Over the summers, Richard’s first job was cutting lawns.  He enjoyed riding his bike, swimming for hours, and diving off the limestone cliffs at the Sheboygan Quarry. A strong swimmer, he could swim four times around the quarry without stopping.

In high school Richard worked at the Sheboygan Mattress Factory, tufting the mattresses. One full-time summer job was with Wagner Sausages, where his mother and aunt Ruth worked. Another job was to help roof Silver Lake College in Manitowoc. All of these summer jobs helped him support his way through college.

Richard graduated from Sheboygan North High School in June, 1955, where he played guard and linebacker for the school’s football team.  In his senior year, he joined the United States Navy Reserve. The August after graduation, he was deployed on active duty for two years on the USS Beale Destroyer Escort out of Norfolk, VA. Along with 200 fellow sailors the ship cruised the Caribbean and Atlantic oceans for six months, then around the Southern tip of Africa into the Persian Gulf for another six months.

Richard cherished memories of playing baseball with his fellow sailors on the West shore of Saudi Arabia. They took life boats from the destroyer to the shore and drank San Miguel beer. He attended a memorable bull fight at a stop in Spain. On to Gibraltar, the sailors had a beach party at the base of the rock. He fell carrying a case of empty beer bottles up the cliff, leaving a scar on his knee. They still drank more San Miguel beer!

After his two years of service, Richard returned to Wisconsin and met his first wife Joanne Henning. He earned a BS in Geography at UW-Oshkosh and his MS in Geography at UW-Madison. Hired by UW Center-Fond du Lac campus, he and Joanne built their home and raised daughter Elizabeth Anne and son Timothy John in Fond du Lac.  He became Director of Admissions and Financial Aid after several years as a well-liked teacher at the Campus.  Retiring from the UW in 1994, he was able to finish building his dream home on Sawyer Lake in Langlade County.

In the early 2000’s Richard and Carolyn enjoyed an active and travel-filled life together. They relished many Caribbean snorkeling trips, cruises, and bicycling together.  Carolyn marveled at the success he had growing his famously delicious tomatoes and his 20-foot high sunflowers. Neighbors and family delighted in his constructed stairways to the beaches.  Living mainly in Manitowoc he weekly drove 120 miles each way to visit his Sawyer Lake home. He worked very diligently to keep his “cabin” ready for family and friends who cherished their summer visits.

Richard is also survived by his sister Pat and her husband David Geltemeyer of Portage, also survived by his daughter Elizabeth (Bruno) Pasquinelli of Dallas, TX, also by his son Timothy Greisch of Madison, Carolyn’s daughters Renee and Valerie Hendon, grandchildren Camille (Danil), Natalie (Matt), Julia, Bruno, Isabella Pasquinelli; and Lilliana Greisch; and many wonderful loving nieces and nephews.

Richard was preceded in death by his mother Bernice, father Harold, and special dogs Budger and Caddo.

A visitation and remembrance for family and friends will be held 11am-1pm on Saturday, December 3, 2022, at Pfeffer Funeral Home, 928 S 14th St., Manitowoc. Lunch to follow at The Care Center, across the street.

Richard had a big heart for the outdoors and wildlife.  He cared about the animals in the forests around him. He loved his dogs as if they were children.  We will always celebrate Richard’s special connection to our pets. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite animal or outdoors non-profit in his honor.

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