Richard Joseph Waldschmidt

Dick was born on March 28, 1937 in Tiskilwa, Illinois, the son of Henry and Lillian (Elbert) Waldschmidt, he was the ninth of eleven children. As a child his family moved to Rock Falls, Illinois where he spent his youth on the family farm raising animals and growing crops with his 10 brothers and sisters. Some of his fondest childhood memories involve the work and fun adventures he had with his siblings on and around the farm. Dick left Illinois when he joined the Army. He spent much of his military service at nearby Fort Myer where one of the highlights of his service was participating in JFK’s inauguration parade.

After leaving the military, Dick began working for Hazleton Laboratories where he held numerous positions. While working in the DC area, Dick met the love of his life Erless (Barr) Waldschmidt. They were married on September 12, 1964 and would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary later this year. Dick was the proud father of Laura Kathleen and Andrew Nathan Waldschmidt.

In 1973, Dick took a position as a letter carrier at the United States Postal Service where he worked for almost 40 years until his retirement in 2010. Dick was an extremely diligent worker, being awarded numerous performance citations, including the One Million Miles Driven award. He epitomized the USPS motto that “Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postmen from their appointed rounds.”

Dick was a faithful member of St. Philip Catholic Church and served as a member of the Arlington Knights of Columbus chapter for more than 50 years. Dick was an avid gardener and when the weather allowed you would always find him somewhere outside the house. He was a dedicated member of the local Chrysanthemum Society, and a frequent winner at his monthly Pinochle games.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers (Harvey, Francis, and Donald), three sisters (Theoclete, Bernadine, and Elizabeth), two sisters-in-law and three brothers-in-law. Survivors include his wife Erless, his children, Laura (Todd) Waldschmidt and Andrew (Catriona) Waldschmidt; sisters, Geraldine Wike, Phyllis Conklen, Gloria (Dave) Sproul; brother Henry (Marty) Waldschmidt Jr.; and many nieces and nephews.

Dick will be remembered as a very conscientious and dedicated husband, father, friend and employee. He would do anything for anyone and was not satisfied until the job was completed. If he was 5 minutes early, he was already behind schedule.

A public visitation will be held on Monday, June 17, 2024 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at Murphy Funeral Home in Falls Church, VA. A Requiem Mass will be held on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 1:00pm at St. Philip Catholic Church.