Obituary for Richard D. Western
Richard Daniel Western—a true friend, a caring mentor, a gentle man with a quick wit—died August 16, 2019 at age 77.
Richard was a lifelong scholar, teacher, writer and editor. After earning his undergraduate degrees and PhD from the University of Minnesota, he accepted a faculty position at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he taught for 26 years in the School of Education. Throughout his tenure there he taught undergraduate and graduate courses on curriculum development and the teaching of English as well as serving as an advisor for Master’s and Doctoral candidates. After his formal retirement, he continued to teach classes at UW-M and at Concordia University until 2007 when he and his wife Linda (Leaf) moved to a home on Lake Ellwood near Florence, Wisconsin where he continued his studies and editing.
Richard shared his many intellectual interests with a love for the outdoors, first developing these interests as a camper and counselor at Camp Widjiwagan, the St. Paul YMCA’s canoe camp located near Ely, Minnesota. Richard’s legacy—his love of learning and of the Boundary Waters and Quetico parks—is embraced by his family. His children, John Richard and Sarah Denise, followed him at Widji as campers and counselors. Now Lauren and Nicholas, children of John and Victoria (Gollwitzer) and Kiera and Bryn, daughters of Sarah and Henry Sullivan (also a Widjiwagan camper and counselor) are Widji campers, too. In honor of Richard’s lifetime appreciation of the many values developed in young people through camping experiences, tributes can be sent to:
Western-Leaf Family Endowment Fund for YMCA Camp Widjiwagan
NW 5901, P.O. Box 1450
Minneapolis, MN 55485-5901
Celebrations of Richard’s life will be held privately.
You may leave a condolence or tribute for Richard’s family online at www.JacobsFuneralHomes.com
The family has chosen the Jacobs-Lundholm Funeral Home & Crematory, Florence, Wis., to honor Richard’s legacy of life.
Richard was a lifelong scholar, teacher, writer and editor. After earning his undergraduate degrees and PhD from the University of Minnesota, he accepted a faculty position at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he taught for 26 years in the School of Education. Throughout his tenure there he taught undergraduate and graduate courses on curriculum development and the teaching of English as well as serving as an advisor for Master’s and Doctoral candidates. After his formal retirement, he continued to teach classes at UW-M and at Concordia University until 2007 when he and his wife Linda (Leaf) moved to a home on Lake Ellwood near Florence, Wisconsin where he continued his studies and editing.
Richard shared his many intellectual interests with a love for the outdoors, first developing these interests as a camper and counselor at Camp Widjiwagan, the St. Paul YMCA’s canoe camp located near Ely, Minnesota. Richard’s legacy—his love of learning and of the Boundary Waters and Quetico parks—is embraced by his family. His children, John Richard and Sarah Denise, followed him at Widji as campers and counselors. Now Lauren and Nicholas, children of John and Victoria (Gollwitzer) and Kiera and Bryn, daughters of Sarah and Henry Sullivan (also a Widjiwagan camper and counselor) are Widji campers, too. In honor of Richard’s lifetime appreciation of the many values developed in young people through camping experiences, tributes can be sent to:
Western-Leaf Family Endowment Fund for YMCA Camp Widjiwagan
NW 5901, P.O. Box 1450
Minneapolis, MN 55485-5901
Celebrations of Richard’s life will be held privately.
You may leave a condolence or tribute for Richard’s family online at www.JacobsFuneralHomes.com
The family has chosen the Jacobs-Lundholm Funeral Home & Crematory, Florence, Wis., to honor Richard’s legacy of life.