Richard "Rick" Rhey Jr.

Richard M. "Rick" Rhey, Jr.

1944 - 2014

Kenosha native Richard M. (Rick) Rhey Jr. passed away suddenly of cardiac arrest due to Ebstein's Anomaly on Oct. 11, at his home in Tucson, Ariz. Rick was born at Kenosha Memorial Hospital on Oct. 27, 1944, the eldest of five and son of Mary and Richard M. Rhey, Sr., a union steward at the American Brass Company. He graduated from St. Joseph's High School and attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he earned a degree in anthropology. He was involved in the founding of the Mifflin Street Co-op along with Madison mayor Paul Soglin. While in college he married fellow Kenoshan Stella K. (Kate) Bernacchi, and moved to Baraboo, Wis., after graduation, had three sons (Robert, Erik, and Hans), and opened a carpet and flooring business. They moved back to Kenosha in 1984, where Rick assumed leadership roles at the Lincoln Neighborhood Community Center and later the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council. In 1997, he moved to Tucson, Ariz., to become the executive director of the Southwest Fair Housing Council. In his 17 years there, he received national recognition and numerous grants for his innovative work in identifying housing discrimination. Rick's lifelong quest for knowledge and experience led him to amass a vast collection of books and become a hobbyist of motorcycles, astronomy, photography, chess, stamps, rare coins, and Mayan art. And even though he bonded with the desert Southwest, he never lost his passion for Wisconsin sports teams, especially the Green Bay Packers and the Milwaukee Brewers.

Rick is survived by his wife and three sons, as well as five sisters (Marilyn, Ann, Margaret, Sara, and Cathy) six grandsons, and one granddaughter. He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Mary (Simmons) Rhey.