Richard Dotz

Richard Dotz aka Rick, Ricky or Dotzie passed away on January 26, 2026 at the young age of 56 after his very short battle with Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. He was surrounded daily with all of his family and friends during this journey until the end.

Rick was born in Sheboygan in 1969. He attended Mapledale, Horace Mann and graduated from North High in 1988. He is survived by his amazing son Robert/Robby; parents Patricia and Robert Dotz; sister Dawn & brother-in-law Brian Schutte; close friends Muriel, Jesse, Tory, Stu, Lori, Eric, Rooke, Jay and many many more good friends. He leaves behind some very caring and thoughtful neighbors; not to mention all the cousins and aunt/uncles.

He started work as a Miller driver hauling beer. He moved on to work as a fiber optics & gas pipe layer for most of his adult life. He acquired many good co-workers starting at Gabes; then moving on to H&H Utilities, Michels, Contracting & Material Co, Miller Pipeline & Freedom Underground. He was an avid fisherman and hunter. He had some crazy stories about each kill or the huge brown trout 28.28 lbs that he caught and had mounted. He was always smoking fish at Christmas time for everyone that enjoyed it including this year with the help of his great friend Jesse. His jokes which were more like stories, were never ending.

In the last days of his life he expressed how blessed and grateful he was for his family, extended family members and his friends who continued to offer support by stopping in, texting daily, shoveling when needed, rolling out the garbage cans. etc. . He was blessed to be able to coyote hunt "one more time" with his good friend Rooke. His friends would stop and pick him up and take him to lunch almost every week. We talked and laughed about camping with the grandparents, cousins, aunt & uncles; talked and laughed about the family picnics at the Dahler Party Gazebo; all his many hunting and fishing trips that he will forever miss. He mostly accepted the situation and said that this is not the way he would like to live.

His family cannot express enough the great support we received from everyone during this very difficult time. Special thank you's to Jesse & David Butzen & Brian for emptying the house, garage & storage in record time. Muriel & Robby I couldn't have cleaned up the trailer without the help of both of you!! We would especially like to acknowledge the Operating Engineers Local 139 of Joyce, Samantha & Shaun who took their time to help us through the many piles of paperwork that were never ending. We would also like to thank Crystal & Lynn from Hospice for all of your endless support especially at the end.

A celebration of life is being planned and he demanded that it "better be one hell of a party"!! It will be Ricky, we promise!! Ricky is forever Gone Fishing!