Richard Louis Torgerson, age 86, passed away on March 7, 2016, at Park View Nursing Home in Woodville, WI. Dick was born on October 9, 1929 in Eau Galle Township to Oliver and Frances (Wahl) Torgerson. He was baptized and confirmed at Woodside Lutheran Church south of Baldwin. He attended Hoover Grade School and graduated from Woodville High School in 1947. After graduation, he worked on a farm in North Dakota and served in the United States Army from 1951-1953.
On September 25, 1954, he married Delores “Toots” Schneider at Immanuel Lutheran Church where he then became a member. To this union two daughters and three sons were born. They farmed in Eau Galle Township on the farm his grandfather, Richard J. Torgerson, homesteaded.
In 2005 he retired and moved with Toots to a townhome in Baldwin. While living there he enjoyed meeting regularly with the “accomplished” local men – solving the world’s problems at the “Table of Knowledge.” In January of 2015, Dick and Toots moved to an apartment at Park Place in Woodville.
Dick was an avid sports fan, cheering on the Baldwin-Woodville Blackhawks, Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Twins. He served on the Immanuel Lutheran Church council and taught Sunday school for many years. Dick also served on the Woodville School Board, Midland Co-op Board, Park View Board, and was a member of the Woodville American Legion Post 301.
Dick was preceded in death by his parents, sister Betty Dierksmeier, brother Robert Torgerson and his wife Gayla, and brother-in-law Clifford Schneider and his wife Lila.
He will be missed by Delores, his wife of 61 years, and their children: Faye (Gary) Kemnitz of Eldorado, WI, Richard (Sally) Torgerson of Woodville, WI, Timothy (Sandy) Torgerson of Watertown, WI, Amy (Peter) Kuske of Waukesha, WI, and Nathan (Renae) Torgerson of Andover, MN; their ten grandchildren: Justin (Christine) Kemnitz, Ashley (Steve) Ludwig, Micah and Griffin Torgerson, Tyler, Caleb and Alison Kuske, Nicholas, Rebecca, and Abigail Torgerson; their two great-grandchildren: Maxwell and Hazel Kemnitz; their five step-grandchildren: Craig (Erin) Butler, Jeff (Trent) Butler, Eric (Deb Preiss) Butler, Heather (Nathan) Kasper, and Melissa Wilson; their seven step-great grandchildren: Kelsey Butler, Ethan Butler, Lora, Nolan, and Wyatt Kasper and Ava and Pierce Wilson; and brother-in-law Fred Dierksmeier of Chesapeake, VA; along with other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Dick will be held on Friday, March 11th at 11:00 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 2526 80th Avenue, Woodville, WI, with Pastor Wayne Hilgendorf officiating. Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 10th from 4:00-7:00 p.m at O’Connell Family Funeral Home, 1010 Newton St., Baldwin, WI, and also at Immanuel Lutheran Church one hour prior to the service. Burial will take place following the service at the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery. Pallbearers are grandsons Justin Kemnitz, Micah Torgerson, Griffin Torgerson, Tyler Kuske, Caleb Kuske, and Nicholas Torgerson. Memorials honoring Dick Torgerson may be directed to the Immanuel Lutheran Church, Park View Nursing Home, or Adoray Hospice.