Richard R Hengel

Richard Russell Hengel, 87, of La Crosse, passed away on Wednesday, April 16, 2014, at the Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center. He was born on December 10, 1926 in La Crosse to Raymond N. and Dorothy (Love) Hengel. He married Erika E. Schuetze on June 6, 1969. Richard was a veteran of World War II, serving with the Navy Air Corps from December of 1943 to June of 1946. Richard is survived by his wife, Erika; two sons, Michael J. Hengel of Waunakee, Wis., and Matthew (Lisa) Hengel of Denver, Colo.; three daughters, Pamela (Bradley) Benrud of Onalaska, Cynthia (Ernest) Misch of St. Joseph Ridge, and Margaret (Richard) Schelbe of Holmen; son-in-law, James Misch of St. Joseph Ridge; eight grandchildren, Jason (Angel) Benrud, Dr. Jacob (Joanna) Benrud, Angie (Joe) Mattison, Tanya (Josef) Banasik, Megan Misch, Ryan Schelbe, Jarrod Schelbe and Cherish Myers; seventeen great grandchildren; three brothers, Raymond Hengel of La Crosse, Larry Hengel of Portland, Ore., and Thomas (Maria) Hengel of Lakeland, Fla.; two sisters, Diana Janisch and Barbara Craig, both of La Crosse; a sister-in-law, Jane Hengel; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Marguerite and Thomas Widner; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his late wife, Mary Jean (Archambeau) Hengel; a daughter, Julia Misch; his parents, Raymond and Dorothy; one brother, Phillip Hengel; three sisters, Dorothy Cox, Mary Louise Reider, and Jeanne Butala; his in-laws, William and Luzia Schuetze; brothers-in-law, Winston Reider, Frank Cox, Jay Butala, and Del Janisch; and sisters-in-law, Jean Hengel and Sandy Hengel. Richard was a member of Temple Baptist Church and served as a Trustee for many years. He belonged to the Plumbers and Fitters of Local 31 (now 434), working as a steamfitter. In his retirement years, he worked as a courier for Franciscan-Skemp Healthcare. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and woodworking. He was dearly loved and will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, April 22thndth, at Temple Baptist Church, 1326 North Salem Rd, La Crosse. Pastor Daniel Habegger and Pastor Andrew Buhrow will officiate. Burial, with military honors, will follow in Mormon Coulee Memorial Park. Family and friends may call at Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services, 200 West Ave. So., La Crosse, on Monday from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., and at the church on Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. Memorials may be directed to Temple Baptist Church.

Special thanks for the loving care given to Richard by the Hospice team both in the home and at the hospital.