Richard John Rademacher

Mr. Richard John Rademacher was born on the 4th of March 1943 in Rosen, Minnesota, a small hamlet on the Western Plains of Minnesota, of Lac qui Parle County. He grew up in a large German-Catholic family, being fifth of 11 children (10 boys and one girl) working a modest yet productive dairy farm; contributing to community and the frivolity of farm life. He was (and still is) the person who provided balance to a family that dedicated themselves to good hard days’ work yet gave the best he could to times of play and relaxation. As a youth, his was being baseball player, and a very good one playing outfield for the Rosen Express from the late 50’s to early 60’s. Richard, as legend says, on a Minnesota Winter Day, took on school bullies as they picked on younger kids and as these bullies gave Richard what for, he gave just as much to them, as he laughed while they stuffed snow down his clothes. The message was crystal clear, Richard protected, brought poignant balance, and ensured that message was adhered to.

Richard had a certain self-awareness of seeing beyond the Minnesota horizon and as his time closed on those Western Plains, his adventure began. Richard joined the US Army/National Guard out of Appleton, Minnesota and saying “so-long” to the farm he headed out to serve his country in the early 1960’s. He served with honor and dedication as any young soldier would; this wasn’t just any soldier though – this was Richard Rademacher. His duty brought him to Ft. Ord, Monterey Bay - California! The Minnesota farm-kid is getting his taste of the Pacific Ocean, a taste of adventure that will last him a lifetime. As always, a hard day’s soldiering leads to a time of play and relaxation. So, he went to the “hitch’n post” outside the base and thumbed a ride to San Francisco to catch his first professional baseball game. The young outfielder sitting in the stands of Candlestick Park watching the Giants vs the Dodgers – he gazed upon Sandy Koufax pitching to Willy Mays that wonderful afternoon.

The horizon was pulling on young Richard and as he saluted smartly out of Fort Ord, he bounced here and there but eventually found himself being part of the Catholic Missionary Community of Mexico, a far cry from the snows of Minnesota. As he gave his best to the farm community of his youth, that education set in him to give the very best community work to his new surroundings. Immersing himself in the community and culture of this far-away land, keeping with and learning new values and virtues as he was evolving into a newer man. Yet still that horizon pulled, and as his missionary work was ending, he felt a need to give in a different way and a way that would change the lives of hundreds maybe a few thousand people. Besides farming and tending to dairy cattle, Richard had an incredible affinity for construction, for using those strong hands and keen mind; and he became a Carpenter, a builder of houses so others may have a place to call Home. He built homes in Kansas City and St. Joseph, Missouri for the next 45 years, giving shelter to families – protecting those families as he did those young kids on a cold, snowy afternoon.

That horizon of his landed him within Kansas City, Missouri. And low and behold his horizon began to settle as he met and married a young Latina lady named Margarita Velilla, a young lady whose horizon was also pulling on her from Colombia, to New York, to finally Kansas City. Richard married that young lady in 1968 and soon his building skills meant something new, building a family. And from that marriage they had had three children: Craig, Brian, and Monica. Richard’s horizon was expanding in a new direction as kids, work, and tending to the community was always in his life. And as before, the pull he felt as a young man, he shared with his new family as he took them to Royals games, coaching his kid’s soccer team, camping in the Rockies, trips to the Gulf Coast, and many places and experiences in-between. In fact, that sense of adventure was ingrained in his kids so much that his two sons joined the US Navy to serve and see the World, as his daughter set off for California to pursue a real estate profession and be on the World adventure herself.

Richard and Margarita settled in Kansas City, married 56 years, that brought not just three kids but rambunctious grandkids. The horizon just got deeper and wider as a new vision of the world through the eyes of grandkids ensued for the next few decades to include great grandkids. And with every sunrise and sunset of every horizon of these 81 years Richard has been blessed and given honor to the family that has come and have passed on to their horizons. He has been preceded by his parents, Marcus and Clara, and his brothers Lawerence, Myron, Gilbert, Thomas, and Greg. Richard has stayed true to his Lord, to the Catholic virtues learned on the Minnesota Farm, from the service to his Country, to the service of the Mission, and the rewarding work of Carpentry: Faith, Self-Discipline, Charity, Balance, Peace, Patience, Forgiveness, Kindness, Responsibility, Generosity, and Diligence.

Richard’s time has set, he is now The Horizon and at the same time Richard is part of the generations of current adventure seekers: Margarita, Brian, Sarah, Summerlyn, Connor, Kassie, Carter, Lolena, Marcus, Elizabeth, Monica, Robert, Emily, Craig, and Bella his ever-faithful dog. And if Richard John Rademacher has a message for them and for others – stay true to Yourself; push that Adventure; seek past that Horizon.