Richard Andrew Rychalski

1931 - 2023

Richard Andrew Rychalski

July 15, 1931 – Oct. 22, 2023

Richard Andrew Rychalski passed away on October 22, 2023, at the age of 92.

Richard was born on July 15, 1931 in Detroit Michigan, to Raymond and Sophie Rychalski. His parents immigrated to the United States from Poland settling in Hamtramck, MI, in the late 1920s. Richard was the second of three children, with two sisters the oldest, Mona Sanders (deceased) and the youngest Barbara (Jim) Arnold of Rochester, MI. He also has a half-sister, Paula Mochan, of St. Louis MO.

After graduating from St. Stanislas High School in Detroit, he joined the Air Force and served as a dental hygienist. During his assignment at Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka, KS, he met his wife of 70 years, June Smith. After attending two years college at Washburn University in Topeka, he became a city policeman, where he was instrumental in obtaining the city's first police dog, which proved a valuable resource for the city. Being an avid fisherman and hunter, he was lured to Montana where he became a State Farm Insurance Agent in Libby Montana later transferring to the Claims Department as an insurance adjuster and moving to Butte and then Helena where he presently resided. After retiring as an adjuster, he formed his own Mortgage Maintenance Business, checking on houses for out of state mortgage companies.

Richard was a wonderful, loving father and husband as well as a surrogate father to some friends of his sons whose fathers were not available. He was also a very spiritual person, discovering Eckankar a religion of the light and sound, which gave him great comfort. He had a great sense of humor, and his family still uses some of his sayings.

Richard and June had five children: Susan Rychalski McDowell (deceased); Amy Rychalski Mayther, Spokane; Rex (Gail) Rychalski, Medical Lake, WA; Mark Rychalski (deceased); and Jon (Coleene) Rychalski, Arlington, VA. He also leaves numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will miss him dearly.

Memorial Service is scheduled for 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 27, 2023, at the Fort Harrison Chapel on Base at Fort Harrison. A Reception will follow the service at the Service Club on Base at Fort Harrison. Donations may be made to St Peters Hospital, Comfort Care Unit who provided superb care to Richard the past week. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Dick.