Obit: Sapinski, Richard F. (1933 - 2009)

Contact: R. Lipprandt
Email: bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Appel, Bennett, Blume, Dassow, Diethelm, Grabczinski, Jeppesen, Just, Mantik, Moyer, Raasch, Sapinski

----Source: The Star News (Medford, Taylor Co., WI), Thursday, February 12, 2009, Online Edition

Sapinski, Richard "Dick" F. (August 6, 1933 - February 16, 2009)

Richard "Dick" F. Sapinski, 75, Medford, died Monday, Feb. 16 at Memorial Nursing Home in Medford, where he had resided the past 1-1/2 years. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Feb. 21 at noon at Hemer Funeral Home in Medford, with Rev. Randal Jeppesen officiating, and full military honors performed by the Medford Military Honors Team. Cremainal inurnment will take place in the spring at Medford Evergreen Cemetery.

Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service.

Richard Sapinski was born August 6, 1933 in Chicago, Ill. to the late Frank R. and Clara R. (Grabczinski) Sapinski. He attended Chicago area schools. On September 19, 1952 in Rome, N.Y., he married Betty L. Bennett, who survives.

He served in the United States Army during the Korean War while being stationed in Korea and Iceland, and was a cook and an ambulance driver.

After the service he worked at Gad Cheese Factory, then as a laborer at Bahr Construction of Appleton. He also drove semi for Janke Construction in Athens and worked at Weather Shield for 27 years until his retirement in 2001.

He was a member of Boxrucker-Berry American Legion of Stetsonville. He enjoyed playing pool, poker and gambling, fishing and spending time with his grandchildren.

In addition to his wife, survivors include two sons, Jerry of Stetsonville and Ricky (Delores) of Medford; four daughters, Elaine Sapinski, Janice (special friend Allen Blume) Raasch and Amy Dassow, all of Medford, and Kathy (Frank) Moyer of Granton; brothers and sisters, Donald of New Orleans, La., Ina Appel of Mayville, Sharon (Victor) Just of Arkansas, Ferdie (Shirley) Diethelm of Athens, Delores (Terry) Mantik of Racine and Randy (special friend Jody) Diethelm of Pensacola, Fla.; 16 grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Lori Jean Sapinski on July 26, 1974. In lieu of flowers, memorials in his name may be made to the family to be designated at a later date.

Online condolences may be made at www.hemerfuneralservice.com.