Obituary for Richard Albert Weitzel
Richard Albert Weitzel, a proud Navy veteran who fought for our country in Vietnam, lost his own fight with cancer from Agent Orange exposure on June 27th, 2023, at home in Oshkosh, Wisconsin surrounded by family.
Richard was born January 2nd, 1946, at Grace Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut. He was born to mother Helen Bridget Radloff and Father Albert John Weitzel and would be the second of five children: Alberta (Bugos), Ron Weitzel, Edward Kaminski, and George “Marty” Weitzel. Growing up, Richard loved to play baseball and to play pranks on his neighbors. His family moved to Mesa, Arizona where he became the first to graduate from Westwood High School in January of 1965.
Out of high school, with the escalation of Vietnam, Richard enlisted in the U.S. Navy on February 18th, 1965. He was assigned active duty aboard the USS Henry W. Tucker (“the Tucker”), and two short months after Richard’s enlistment he found himself overseas, participating in the earliest stages of the conflict, off the coast of Vietnam.
For his service in Vietnam, Richard earned decorations including the Vietnam Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal. Richard was honorably discharged in Long Beach, California following the expiration of his term of active military service on February 20th, 1967.
After his discharge, Richard moved to Springfield, Massachusetts with his friend Teddy Brooks from the Navy. He met and fell for a woman named Phyllis Ewens. Phyllis had three children from previous relationships, and she and Richard had three daughters of their own Sharon, Hellen, and Paula. Although Richard had many jobs during the girls’ childhood, he always made sure to provide for his family and has remembered to treat each of the kids as his own.
In 1978, Richard was laid off from his job and suggested to Phyllis that they visit a friend who had just relocated to Wisconsin. After a few days, they both agreed that they liked Wisconsin enough to relocate with their family. Richard and Phyllis separated, and Phyllis moved back to Massachusetts while Richard stayed in Wisconsin. He began babysitting the son of a woman who lived in his apartment complex and soon the two began dating. Richard married her and had a daughter, Erica. They moved to California for a number of years to be closer to Richard’s family but found themselves back in Wisconsin later on. Unfortunately, they separated soon after, but Richard made sure to stay close by to be in Erica’s life as much as possible. Richard began making road trips with Erica twice a year to visit his oldest daughter Sharon and her two sons, Justin, and Josh on the east coast. He was a proud grandfather of Justin and Josh, displaying all their trophies and awards Sharon would send him.
Richard was proud to be the first person to hold each of his daughters. When Erica had a son, Richard was the first person to the hospital and the first grandparent to hold him. When her son, Clayton was a baby, Erica called Richard the “Clayton whisperer” because he was always able to get the very colicky Clayton to stop crying and fall asleep. As Clayton grew, he and Richard maintained a very close relationship. They went out for breakfast frequently, watched cartoons, and Richard made sure to attend every event Clayton participated in and bring him anything and everything he could find for kids around the Oshkosh area.
Richard retired from Churny Cheese in 2007 where he worked in the refrigerated warehouse. He began donating blood and was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007 after some counts were off. After surgery in 2008, he was in remission until 2016 when his PSA began to rise again. Oral chemo put him back into remission until late 2021. Richard made the most of his years in remission: he watched every New York Yankee baseball game and Ranger hockey game he could, played bingo at Oneida Casino, attended baseball games and card games with friends, took leisurely drives to play the lottery, played softball two nights a week, and took frequent bike rides with Erica and Clayton. When Richard’s cancer took his independence, he moved in with his daughter Erica and her family, which then included husband Isaac and stepson Rory. When the cancer took his mobility, he still made sure to spend time with the boys even if that meant just watching cartoons. He fought hard, undergoing radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, each to no avail. He passed away surrounded by the loving family he lived with and eldest daughter Sharon who flew in to spend his last days with him.
Richard was preceded in death by parents Albert Weitzel and Helen (Radloff) Weitzel; and brother George “Marty” Weitzel who died as a marine in Vietnam. He is survived by his siblings Alberta (Dave) Bugos, Ronald (Melanie) Weitzel, and Edward (Theresa) Kaminski; children Sharon (Keith) Morrissette, Helen Thomas, Paula Welch, and Erica (Isaac) Phillips;12 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren, as well as many loving cousins, nieces, and nephews.
An intimate celebration of life with close friends and family will take place at a later date.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to the doctors at the VA and Froedtert, where Richard received his cancer care, and to the nurses and support staff at Compassus Hospice.
Richard was born January 2nd, 1946, at Grace Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut. He was born to mother Helen Bridget Radloff and Father Albert John Weitzel and would be the second of five children: Alberta (Bugos), Ron Weitzel, Edward Kaminski, and George “Marty” Weitzel. Growing up, Richard loved to play baseball and to play pranks on his neighbors. His family moved to Mesa, Arizona where he became the first to graduate from Westwood High School in January of 1965.
Out of high school, with the escalation of Vietnam, Richard enlisted in the U.S. Navy on February 18th, 1965. He was assigned active duty aboard the USS Henry W. Tucker (“the Tucker”), and two short months after Richard’s enlistment he found himself overseas, participating in the earliest stages of the conflict, off the coast of Vietnam.
For his service in Vietnam, Richard earned decorations including the Vietnam Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal. Richard was honorably discharged in Long Beach, California following the expiration of his term of active military service on February 20th, 1967.
After his discharge, Richard moved to Springfield, Massachusetts with his friend Teddy Brooks from the Navy. He met and fell for a woman named Phyllis Ewens. Phyllis had three children from previous relationships, and she and Richard had three daughters of their own Sharon, Hellen, and Paula. Although Richard had many jobs during the girls’ childhood, he always made sure to provide for his family and has remembered to treat each of the kids as his own.
In 1978, Richard was laid off from his job and suggested to Phyllis that they visit a friend who had just relocated to Wisconsin. After a few days, they both agreed that they liked Wisconsin enough to relocate with their family. Richard and Phyllis separated, and Phyllis moved back to Massachusetts while Richard stayed in Wisconsin. He began babysitting the son of a woman who lived in his apartment complex and soon the two began dating. Richard married her and had a daughter, Erica. They moved to California for a number of years to be closer to Richard’s family but found themselves back in Wisconsin later on. Unfortunately, they separated soon after, but Richard made sure to stay close by to be in Erica’s life as much as possible. Richard began making road trips with Erica twice a year to visit his oldest daughter Sharon and her two sons, Justin, and Josh on the east coast. He was a proud grandfather of Justin and Josh, displaying all their trophies and awards Sharon would send him.
Richard was proud to be the first person to hold each of his daughters. When Erica had a son, Richard was the first person to the hospital and the first grandparent to hold him. When her son, Clayton was a baby, Erica called Richard the “Clayton whisperer” because he was always able to get the very colicky Clayton to stop crying and fall asleep. As Clayton grew, he and Richard maintained a very close relationship. They went out for breakfast frequently, watched cartoons, and Richard made sure to attend every event Clayton participated in and bring him anything and everything he could find for kids around the Oshkosh area.
Richard retired from Churny Cheese in 2007 where he worked in the refrigerated warehouse. He began donating blood and was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007 after some counts were off. After surgery in 2008, he was in remission until 2016 when his PSA began to rise again. Oral chemo put him back into remission until late 2021. Richard made the most of his years in remission: he watched every New York Yankee baseball game and Ranger hockey game he could, played bingo at Oneida Casino, attended baseball games and card games with friends, took leisurely drives to play the lottery, played softball two nights a week, and took frequent bike rides with Erica and Clayton. When Richard’s cancer took his independence, he moved in with his daughter Erica and her family, which then included husband Isaac and stepson Rory. When the cancer took his mobility, he still made sure to spend time with the boys even if that meant just watching cartoons. He fought hard, undergoing radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, each to no avail. He passed away surrounded by the loving family he lived with and eldest daughter Sharon who flew in to spend his last days with him.
Richard was preceded in death by parents Albert Weitzel and Helen (Radloff) Weitzel; and brother George “Marty” Weitzel who died as a marine in Vietnam. He is survived by his siblings Alberta (Dave) Bugos, Ronald (Melanie) Weitzel, and Edward (Theresa) Kaminski; children Sharon (Keith) Morrissette, Helen Thomas, Paula Welch, and Erica (Isaac) Phillips;12 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren, as well as many loving cousins, nieces, and nephews.
An intimate celebration of life with close friends and family will take place at a later date.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to the doctors at the VA and Froedtert, where Richard received his cancer care, and to the nurses and support staff at Compassus Hospice.