Richard “ Rick” Wilsey died on May 18, 2022 at home in Lakeway, Texas after a 4 year struggle with Lymphoma cancer. He was surrounded by his wife, Sue, and family. He was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to Allyn and Alice Wilsey on March 20, 1943. He and his 2 sisters grew up in Eau Claire.
After graduating from high school, he joined the Navy and was stationed on the USS Shasta (AE6) in Norfolk, VA. He was assigned to the bridge and was a QM3 before his discharge in 1965 to attend college in his hometown of Eau Claire. He felt his Navy years were among his proudest days. He was a proud American. On the first day of class, he met the love of his life, Sue, and they were married 2 years later. In 1969, they obtained degrees in Psychology - Sociology (Rick) and Nursing (Sue). They moved to Portland, Oregon where Sue took a position at a local hospital. Rick went to work for Pontiac Motor Division of General Motors. In 1974, he took a position with AMC / Jeep in Salt Lake City, UT. In 1976, he was hired by Toyota Motor Co. in Kansas City, MO. where he retired after 22 years. He often joked, “What do you mean you don’t believe me, I spent 30 years in the car business!”
They became avid sailors and sailed the lakes of Kansas, the Gulf Coast and the Caribbean. Rick always said, “As the girls got older, the boats got bigger to hold the friends they wanted to bring sailing.” On retirement, Rick and Sue moved to North Padre Island, Texas and built a house on a canal to have the house and the boat together. After 8 years, they sold the house and boat to move to Lakeway. They became avid golfers. Golf trips to Scotland and Ireland with Lakeway friends were golfing highlights.
During the time he lived in Lakeway, Rick became involved in the community. He served as a member of the Board of Governors and Chairman of the Golf Committee at The Hills Country Club and the Villas POA. He also was on the Lakeway City Building Commission and sang in the Lakeway “Sing A Long” group for 11 years. He often said, “They always give me the foolish parts.”
Rick is proceeded in death by his parents, Allyn and Alice Wilsey; and his sister Gerry Wendt. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Sue, of Lakeway; his two daughters: Dr. Rebecca Wilsey Brewer, her husband, Dr. Russ Brewer of Bristol, WI. and their children, Nathan and Emma; Jennifer Dooley and her husband, Dr. David Dooley of Los Alamos, NM. and their children, Morgan and Owen. He is also survived by his sisters, Kathryn Wilsey Baker of Tampa, FL and Mary Wilsey Casebolt and her husband, Shane of Winchester, Kentucky.
A celebration of Rick’s life will be held on June 11th, 2022 at 1:00 Saturday, at The Lakeway Church, Lakeway, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to The Lakeway Church and Lake Travis Crisis Ministries.
