Richard Alan Volkert

Richard Alan Volkert was peacefully called to Heaven on March 27, 2025 at the age of 78, surrounded by his family and lifelong friends after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Richard was born on September 3, 1946 to John and Dolores (Belke) Volkert in Milwaukee, WI. The family later moved to West Bend, WI where he was raised with seven siblings.

He attended Holy Angels School and later graduated from West Bend High School in 1964, where he met the love of his life, Nancy (Schwartz). They were married on June 18, 1966. They have two daughters, Elizabeth and Lynn.

Richard served in the United States Army, as a medic at an evacuation hospital in Augusta, Georgia from September 1966 to September 1968. Later, they returned to West Bend where they raised their family. He had a successful career in natural gas pipeline for more than 30 years. He worked hard for his family, first as a laborer, working up to a superintendent for Mueller Pipeline, later known as Infra Source. He furthered his career as the president of a subsidiary company in Atlanta, Georgia from 1993-1999. A highlight in his career was installing the gas pipeline which lit the torch for the 1996 Olympic games. He finished his career as a General Manager, before retiring in 2002.

Richard and Nancy returned to central Wisconsin, where they could be near their daughters’ growing families. He spent his retirement enjoying his dream property. Family was everything to him, and he loved hosting an annual Family Campout on his property for 20 years. He always loved having the house full of love and laughter.

Richard is remembered by his seven Grandchildren: Gary (Alyssa) Friske, Shaun (Alexandria) Friske, Evan (Kendra) Friske, Paige, Ashlyn (Alex), Amelia and Emersen Stauske as the Best Gramps Ever! He adored his Grandchildren and was so proud of each and every one of them. He was their biggest cheerleader at school, work, and sporting events. He offered encouragement, support and sound advice through life’s big challenges. He loved to make up silly songs, tell Grampa jokes or dance around to make them laugh. Best of all, he loved the weekly check-ins with Grandkids just to see how they were doing.

To know him, was to love him. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, Nascar races, Country Music and Bluegrass festivals with family and many lifelong friends. He could fix anything and always offered to help others who needed it.

He is survived by his wife Nancy of 58 years, his daughters Elizabeth (Don) Friske and Lynn Stauske, seven Grandchildren, four Great-Grandchildren: Braeden, Jamyson, Sterling and Sabrina and two more on the way. He is further survived by his siblings: Elaine (Ken) Puls, Barbara Kowalski, Paul (Tricia) Volkert, Karen (Rick) Langdon and Steve (Joni) Volkert, as well as his in laws Janet (Dale) Nickel, Raleigh Hodge, Sue Volkert and many nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.

He is reunited in Heaven with his parents: John and Dolores Volkert, his brother John Volkert and his sister Adrianne Swingen, as well as his in-laws Guy and Edna Schwartz, his brothers in-law Donald Schwartz and Joe Kowalski, his sister in-law Kathleen Hodge and his great-nephew Caleb Peterson, in addition to many other beloved friends and relatives.

He often voiced how lucky he was to live such a great life. He was always a positive soul and found fun in all experiences and good in all people.

A Celebration of Life will be held on his beautiful property, as one last Family Cookout, just the way he wanted it.