Richard Gerrits

Richard Gerrits, age 90 of Kaukauna, passed away peacefully on July 16th, 2025. When dad was asked what he wanted in his obit, he said, “Dick’s dead. That should cover it.” While we feel he deserves more than that, it truly showed his wonderful sense of humor. He always had a joke or a funny story ready to help people smile and laugh when most needed and sometimes just because.

Dick was born on February 1st, 1935 to the late William and Loretta (School) Gerrits in Wrightstown, WI. In 1941 they moved to Kaukauna where he spent most of his life. From an early age, he found a love of hunting and fishing with his father and brother. He loved the peacefulness of being in the woods and on the water.

On October 26, 1957 he married the love of his life, Delores Biese at Holy Cross church in Kaukauna, WI where they presided until 1972 when they moved to Greenville. Upon his retirement, they moved to their cottage on Lake Geogebic in Marenisco, MI where they spent 23 years in the heaven of the North woods feeding deer, bear and anything else that cared to eat as well as attempting every day to reduce the fish population.  In 2019, they moved back to Kaukauna, but his heart never left that lake.

Dick earned his teacher’s certificate from Outagamie County Teacher’s Collage while also being an active member of the Army National Guard. After only 3 months of teaching in Pulaski School District, he was called to duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis and was stationed at Fort Lee, Virginia. Upon his release in 1963, he worked on the Kaukauna Police and Fire Department until he was able to return to his love of teaching. He taught in the Kimberly School District for 2 years and then moved to the Appleton School District where he continued his education and earned his Master’s Degree at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. He retired in 1990.

Truly a Jack of all trades, on top of his teaching, Army, fire and police careers, Dick served on the Kaukauna City Council and was an instrumental part in voting for the 1000 Island Conservancy Zone. He spent some time selling Cancer Insurance helping many families through tough times. He also sold real estate for Temmer Reality in Appleton. Dick showed exactly what it meant to do anything needed to provide for his family. A work ethic second to none, he was always first in line to lend a helping hand. Whether it was building a neighbor’s pole barn, shoveling endless piles of soil, building docks, or burying a septic tank, Dick was there with a smile on his face.

Dick is survived by his wife Delores; daughter Paula (Mark) Huelsbeck; 3 grandchildren, Ben (Aly) Huelsbeck of Menasha, Ethan Huelsbeck and Abby of Appleton, Aubrey (Keith) Rabideau of Kaukauna; great grandchildren, Awnya and Kavin Rabideau; sister Viola Dickrell; in-laws JoAnn (Biese) Buechler, Patricia (Biese) and Burt McIntyre, Daniel Biese, Lance Goetzman, Carol (Gerhartz) Biese and many nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents, Dick was preceded in death by his brother Melvin, and sisters Loraine and Ethel; in-laws Agnes Gerrits, Amby Dickrell, Gayland Otto, Eugene Walker, Richard and Dorothy (Eickler) Biese, Gene and Betty (Thein) Biese, Erwin and MaryLee (Biese) Rosenow, Paul Biese, Donna (Biese) Goetzman, and Rita (Hoffman) Biese.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 309 Desnoyer Street, Kaukauna. Visitation will be at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the Mass. Interment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery. For online condolences, please visit www.verkuilenfh.com.

A special thanks to his wonderful neighbors; Lucas and Sara, Jim and Maggie, Mark and Julie, Zach and Shayla, and Jerry.

A special thanks to the employees of St. Paul’s Rehab Unit, Oak Park Place Memory Care and Heartland Hospice for their wonderful care and friendship.