Richard Wiquist, Sr.

Richard C. Wiquist, Sr., 89, of Lathup Village, Michigan, formerly of Andover, passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of November 25, 2019, at Chester Street Residence in Royal Oak, Michigan, after battling prostate cancer and heart failure.  Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, December 2nd, at the Augustana Lutheran Church, Andover.  Rev. Reed Pedersen will officiate.  Burial will be in the Andover Township Cemetery with military services.  Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Cambridge Chapel of Stackhouse-Moore Funeral & Cremation Services.  A separate Celebration of Life will be held in Berkley, Michigan at a later date.  Memorials may be made to the Scholarship Fund of the Cambridge American Legion or the Augustana Lutheran Church.

Richard Charles Wiquist was born June 15, 1930 in Moline, the son of Richard William and Hazel Marie (Johnson) Wiquist.  The oldest of four siblings, he grew up in Andover, attending school in Andover and Cambridge.  Richard then went on to attend the University of Illinois, earning a BS degree in Engineering Physics in 1952 and a Masters degree in Physics in 1954.  He served in the U. S. Army from March of 1954 until his honorable discharge in February, 1956, as a Specialist First Class serving at the Radio-Chemistry Laboratory at the Rock Island Arsenal.

After his discharge, Richard was employed by the Chrysler Corporation from 1956 until his retirement in 2001 as a Product Development Specialist,  just three day shy of 45 years.  Before getting married, he loved to travel and would lead trips around the world with the Ferndale Coop.

In July of 1968, after both Richard and Margaret visited their respective families over the 4th of July holiday, Richard ended up chasing Margaret down on I-80 and eating dinner together at a Holiday Inn in Joliet.  After two more weekend visits, they were engaged.  Richard married Margaret Clifford at the  at 5th Army Headquarters in Waukegan, Illinois on September 8, 1968.  She passed away on March 27, 2013

Richard was a "quiet giver" to his family, to his community, and to God.  He was known for bringing brownies for after service treats at Augustana Lutheran Church in Detroit and then at Cana Lutheran Church in Berkley.  Richard loved to ride his bicycle in the early 1990s, and he and his daughter were able to ride the entire length of I-696 before it opened up to car traffic.  Richard was so proud of his children and grandchildren's accomplishments and would always share photographs and stories.  He would walk six or more miles a day, and Richard would  oftentimes turn the tables on his doctors by giving them a pedometer so they could track their steps.

Those surviving are a daughter and son-in-law, Becky and Kurt  Mantonya, Lincoln, NE, a son, Richard Wiquist, Jr., Royal Oak, MI, three grandchildren, Maggy, Cody, and Brady, a brother, Jim Johnson, Tucson, Arizona, and a sister, Norlaine Verschoore, Geneseo.  His parents, his wife, Margaret, and two sisters, Marilyn Johnson and Maridell Besch, preceded him in death.