Obit: Grum, Richard A. "Dick ( 1935 - 2022)
Transcriber: Stan
Surnames: Grum, Goeke, Stafford, Danielson, McCloud, Smith, Pimentel, Wood,
Thompson
----Source: TRG (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 14 Sep 2022
Grum, Richard A. "Dick (1 Feb
1935 - 5 Sep 2022)
Richard A. “Dick” Grum, 87, Stoughton, passed away on Monday, Sept. 5, 2022. A
Celebration of Life will be held at a later time.
Richard was born on Feb. 1, 1935, in Waukegan, Ill., to Anton and Josephine
Grum. In May 1942, the family moved to a farm in Clark County, where Dick lived
until adulthood. Dick graduated from Withee High School in 1953, and received a
B.S. degree in business administration from Northland College in 1960, and a
master of science from University of Wisconsin-Stout in 1966. From 1955-57, Dick
served in the U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division, and then from 1957-60 with the
Wisconsin National Guard’s 724 Engineering Battalion 32nd Infantry Division as a
radio communications specialist.
Dick was an educator for 30 years, first as a teacher at North Fond du Lac High
School, then at River Valley High School in Spring Green. Dick worked in the
Wisconsin Technical College System for 25 years as an educational specialist and
administrator. He also taught graduate courses in teacher education at the
university level. During his career, he visited institutions of higher education
in Germany, England, Scotland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland,
Yugoslavia, Russia, New Zealand, Australia and Canada, as well as many
institutions in the United States. Dick’s passions were traveling, studying war
history, his dogs, and working as a U.S. Park Ranger in the Apostle Islands
National Lakeshore on Lake Superior during the summers of 1994-96. After his
retirement in 1990, Dick taught 55 Alive driver training courses for seniors. He
also became especially involved as a volunteer at Dane County Humane Society. In
2004, Dick and his canine sidekick, Sundance, were responsible for starting,
collecting and transporting cans for the recycling program which has now earned
over $60,000 to help homeless animals. Starting in 2015, Dick gave annual
matching gift event sponsorships, making significant impacts toward helping both
companion and wild animals. In 2015, Dick established a scholarship at the
University of Wisconsin-Stout for students who graduated from Owen-Withee High
School, Greenwood High School, or any high school in Clark County. Over the
years, he supported a total of 68 students with $159,500 in scholarship
assistance. He attended the annual Stout University Foundation Scholarship
Reception where he had the opportunity to meet the students in-person. He
appreciated hearing their hopes and dreams for the future; it made him happy to
know he was helping them achieve a college degree. Every fall for 30 years, Dick
grew a big white beard so he could be Santa Claus to help raise money for many
of his favorite charities.
Dick is survived by his sister, Phyllis Goeke; his nephew, William (Carol)
Stafford; his great-nephew, Kevin Stafford; his great-niece, Sarah Danielson;
his close friends: Pam McCloud Smith, Carlos and Mariela Pimentel, Dave and
Goldy Wood, and Brenda Thompson; and many other friends (human and animal).
He was preceded in death by his parents, Anton and Josephine Grum; his sister,
Lillian Grum Smith; and his niece, Joy Ann Smith.
Memorials may be made in Dick’s name to one of his favorite charities: Dane
County Humane Society, Stout University Foundation (Dick Grum Scholarship),
Madison College Foundation, Wisconsin Historical Foundation, Planned Parenthood
of Wisconsin, Clark County Humane Society and Withee Public Library.
Cremation Society of Wisconsin, Altoona is assisting the family. Online
condolences may be shared at
www.cremationsociety-wi.com.
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