Surnames: Strock, Strzok, Dietzler, Stone, Williamson, Donnigan, Fricke, Evans, Todd, Harris, Scheidegger

----Source: Thorp Courier (Thorp, Clark Co., WI.) February 6, 2008

Strock (Strzok), Richard Gabriel (26 May 1930 - 26 January 2008) Flag

Dr. Richard Gabriel Strock (Strzok), Col/Ret., age 77, died January 26, 2008, at home in Tucson, AZ, due to terminal pancreatic cancer disease.

Born to Michael and Josephine Strzok on May 26, 1930 at the Strzok homestead in the Town of Withee, Clark County, WI, Richard was the eldest of 11 children.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, February 9, 2008, at 10:00 a.m., at St. Bernard-St. Hedwig Catholic Church in Thorp, WI. His cremains will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery on May 27, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. with full military honors.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to The Jesuit Partnership, P.O. Box 080288, Milwaukee, WI 53208-0288. Please specify "Project Campion Gulu."

Richard attended public grade school in Gilman, WI. From 1945 - 1949, he attended Campion Jesuit High School, Prairie Du Chien, WI. Richard graduated from St. Thomas College in St. Paul, MN in 1952 and went on to attend medical school at the University of Loyola, Chicago, IL. His studies were interrupted after one year when he volunteered for the U. S. Army. Following a three-year tour of duty from 1953 to 1956 which took him to assignments in the U. S. and Germany, Richard returned to Wisconsin to attend dental school at Marquette University, Milwaukee, from 1956 - 1960. Upon graduation, Richard accepted a commission in the U. S. Army Dental Corps and completed his residency at Walter Reed Army Hospital, specializing in fixed prosthodontics. Serving on active duty for 26 years with tours of duty in Washington DC, Washington State, Hawaii, Germany and Arizona, Richard returned from Ft. Huachuca, AZ, in 1979 with the rank of full Colonel. Upon retirement, he received the prestigious Legion of Merit award for exemplary service.

On August 25, 1956, Richard married Dolores Dietzler in Gilman, WI. They had one daughter, Mary Katherine. Dolores died September 27, 1971. Richard remarried Jimmie Stone Williamson on September 2, 1977, at Ft. Huachuca, AZ. Jimmie brought into the family a daughter, Danyalle, and a niece, Donetta. Together, Richard and Jimmie have two children, Richard II and Kimberly.

Richard is survived by his wife, Jimmie, AZ; children: Mary Katherine (Clay) Donningan, Germany, Donetta (Dan) Fricke, CA, Danyalle (Bryan) Evans, TX, Richard II (Jill), TX, and Kimberly, AZ; grandchildren: Kayla and Peyton Evans, and Madeleine and Andrew Strock; siblings: Michael (Bev) Strzok, IN, Peter (Sue) Strzok, WI, Christine (Rocky) Todd, WI, James Strzok, Africa, David Strzok, WI, Julianne (Buddy) Harris, Africa, Maryann Strzok, WI, Stephanie (Kim) Strzok-Scheidegger, WI, Lad (Jenny) Strzok, AZ, and Elizabeth Strzok, CO; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Richard was a gentle man known for his love of storytelling, his inability to pass up a good bargain, and his zest for driving cars fast. He liked a good margarita and dancing the polka. In his twilight years, Richard reveled in working in his garden and expanding the family koi pond. He enjoyed his children, grandchildren and visits from friends and relatives.