Richard (Dick) W. Lemke, age 96, of Appleton, was called to his heavenly home on Monday, October 3, 2022, after a brief illness. He was born on April 27, 1926, in Appleton, the son of the late Richard and Frieda (Krinkle) Lemke and attended the Appleton High School. He was one of five children who lived in Appleton his entire life. He married the "love of his life," Laverna E. (Pingel) Lemke on September 10, 1947, at St. Mary Church in Menasha, and they enjoyed 69 years of marriage. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and was a corporal in 1946 and reached the rank of Sergeant in 1951. He was stationed in the Philippines and received his training at Fort Riley, KS and Camp McCoy, WI. He received the Victory Medal American Theater Ribbon (Asiatic Pacific) and a Good Conduct Medal upon Discharge. He was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Appleton. He worked as a full-time crane operator at the Kimberly-Clark paper mill in Kimberly and part-time at Appleton Marble & Granite Works in Appleton.

Dick was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and a hardworking man. He loved his wife Laverna and his 6 children. He enjoyed traveling with Laverna to visit family in New York, Florida, Washington D.C., Colorado, Utah, California, Arizona and more. Dick and Laverna especially loved their trips to Hawaii and the Bahamas. The family has special memories spent with our parents at his sister's cottage in Gresham, WI, trips to Chicago to see the museums, aquarium, and the amusement parks, and their daughter and son-in-law's cottage in Eagle River. He loved to play cards (or any games), watch the Packer and Brewer games, swim, golf, travel, the outdoors, and spend time with family.

He will be deeply missed by his children: Marlene (David) Radloff, Fort Collins, CO, Beverly (David) Stone, Salt Lake City, UT, Richard N. (Barbara) Lemke, Appleton, Son-in-law Roger (Bernadette) Luca, Tallahassee, FL, Davina (Charles) Moorehead, Appleton, and Scott (Jean) Lemke, Kaukauna.

He will also be missed by his grandchildren: Corie (John) Vas, Crystal (Timothy) Fulton, Cally (Scott) Nichols, Melissa (Lexiya Alekhin) Lemke, Christina (Tim) Chambers, Eric (Kelsie Prisk) Moorehead, Wil Luca, and Jarrod Luca. His great grandchildren: Cole and Kylie Vas, Tyson and Austin Fulton, Logan, Wesley, Anabel, and Bentley Nichols, and Celeste and Edie Chambers. Also, many nieces and nephews.

Dick was preceded in death by his wife, Laverna, his parents Richard and Frieda, two brothers, Robert and Clarence Lemke, two sisters, Ruth Roocks and Doris Coulthard, daughter, Brenda Lemke-Luca, and one grandson, Jeremy Moorehead.

A Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated at 11 am on Wednesday, October 12, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 222 E. Fremont St. Appleton, with Father John Katamba officiating, followed by full military honors and a luncheon. Friends may visit in the Sacred Heart Room on Wednesday from 9 am until 10:45 am. Entombment will take place at 2:30 at Riverside Cemetery, Appleton.

The family would like to thank the staff at Brewster Village for their care and friendship shown to our dad for the past 5 years. So many had become like family to him. We would also like to thank the staff at AMC 7th floor for the care shown to our dad, with a special thanks to Cara and Liz.

Richard will be missed by family, relatives, and friends. It brings us comfort to know he will be reunited with his wife, who he missed so much, daughter, and grandson again. You will always be in our hearts, and we will cherish the memories. We love you forever.