Richard Szemplinski

MILTON Richard Anthony Szemplinski, 91, was born on May 24, 1929 in Chicago, IL and passed away on March 20, 2021 in Milton.

Richard married the late Mary Barbara (Sokolowski) and were married for 61 years.  She awaited the return of her true love on that sunny Saturday.  He passed early in the morning when the suns first light shined down as if Mary and heaven itself were guiding him home to her.

Richard served his country proudly as an electrician during the Korean War in the United States Navy and sailed on the BB62 New Jersey.  When his tour was finished, he met the love of his life, Mary at the dance hall in Chicago.  Soon after, they were married and moved to the suburbs of Roselle, IL and started their family.

He went on to attend the University of Illinois, Wilbur Wright College and then Triton College.  Richard worked as a superintendent for GTE of North Lake, IL and retired after 30 years.

In his younger years, Richard was a baseball umpire and loved to play but his real passion was golf.  He loved to play golf and compete in tournaments throughout the states.  He taught his family to play and enjoyed playing with his two grandsons.  And after, it was a he-man’s breakfast at I-Hop.

Richard and his wife Mary, downhill skied up until they were 75 years old.  They traveled to Colorado to give skiing a mountain a try.  They would seasonally ski in Wisconsin and Michigan.

After his wife Mary passed, he came to live with his family in Milton on a horse farm in the country.  He lived there for 6 years and loved cutting the horse pastures on his zero-turn mower.  He loved the mountains and weather there.

Richard is survived by his daughter and son-in-law; Joni and Gary Herbert of Milton, two grandsons; Michael and Brandon and his wife Vanessa and two great grandchildren; Lucas and Owen.

A mass of Christian burial will take place privately at the convenience of the family at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Milton with the Reverend John D. Hoke officiating.  Burial will take place at a later date in Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, Justice, IL.