Richard Arthur Virnoche

1931 - 2024

Richard Arthur Virnoche

July 22, 1931 - December 13, 2024

MADISON - Richard A. Virnoche, age 93, of Madison, passed away on Friday, December 13, 2024, peacefully in his home at All Saints. He was born in Two Rivers, WI, on July 22, 1931, the loving son of Peter and Lena Virnoche.

Richard grew up in the small town of Two Rivers, WI, on the shores of Lake Michigan. On his first day of kindergarten, he met Cubby Wolfe, who would become his lifelong friend. After graduating high school, he attended college at Marquette University. Before completing his degree, Richard felt called to service and joined the US Air Force. He completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, TX, and was stationed in Syracuse, NY, at the United Stated Air Force Institute of Technology where he completed 13 months of rigorous Russian Language training. Upon completion of his training, he was stationed at a base outside Luton, England.

It was there that he met a beautiful Irish girl named Ellen Kelly and asked her to dance while at The George Hotel. He would see her again at the weekly dance and eventually worked up the courage to ask her out on a date. She refused him. Nice girls did not date Yanks. But his charm and respectfulness won her over, and she agreed to meet at the next week's dance. Then the next, and the next.... They were wed on the 21st of August, 1954, and shared 65 years together until the time of Ellen's death on June 2, 2020.

Richard and Ellen returned to the US with their infant daughter Antonette, and with the help of the GI Bill, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He earned his degree in business and enjoyed a very successful career in pharmaceutical sales and sales management. This career eventually took the family to the east coast, and after 3 years, they felt the pull of the Midwest and moved back to Madison. Richard began working as a stock broker with his lifelong friend Cubby Wolfe, and in that capacity, met a man who owned Badger Popcorn. In 1979, Richard and Ellen sold their family home and bought the company. Together, they ran the business until they sold it in 1993 to their two sons, Tom and Tim. Richard was immensely proud of how his boys grew the business, and even more delighted that one of his grandsons, Matthew Virnoche, bought the business from his Dad Tom and Uncle Tim.

Richard is survived by his daughter, Antonette (John) Nixon; his two sons, Tim (Karen) Virnoche and Tom (Holly) Virnoche; his loving grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephew. He was preceded in death by his son, Terry; grandson, Colin; two brothers; a sister; and his mother and father.

A Memorial Mass will be held at All Saints Chapel at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, December 20, with Monsignor Healy and Father Frisch presiding. Burial will take place at Resurrection Cemetery.

The family would like to thank the loving staff at All Saints for the wonderful care they provided Richard. Memorials may be gifted in Richard's name to Agrace Hospice in Madison who also provided compassionate care.