Richard M. "Dick" Manders

Richard "Dick" Maurice Manders, Age 80, passed away on April 17, 2025 in Waukesha, WI. Dick was born in Milwaukee, WI on June 14, 1944 to Maurice M. and Levina J. Manders, the youngest of 4 brothers.
He graduated from Solomon Juneau High School in Milwaukee in 1963, awarded the Juneau Service Award. Dick went on to Northwestern College in Iowa, majoring in graphic arts. He first worked in the advertising business as a production manager with Hubbard Associates, Inc in Milwaukee before taking his love of art and making a career out of that love and his fascination with the Louis Comfort Tiffany glass method of stained-glass art. Dick mentored with a gentleman he'd met through chance and studied with him, the art of stained glass. When asking if he could work with this gentleman, he was advised that the business would be available to take over in 1973 as the owner was moving. He purchased a lamp from the man and took it home to study its construction and over time honed his new craft. Dick opened his first stained glass shop, Stanford Art Glass, in Germantown, WI, selling his works of art at various art and craft shows throughout the midwest. In 1976 he became the first specialist in glass art to teach the Tiffany copper foil method to classes at Waukesha County Technical Institute and Milwaukee Area Technical College. Dick outgrew his first shop location quickly and purchased a century-old building on the banks of the Menomonee River downtown Menomonee Falls, where the Stanford Village Art Glass Studio still houses the glass studio to this day, on Main Street across from the Falls.
Another love of Dick's was riding and breeding Quarter Horses in his spare time. Dick was involved in the community, and an advocate for his many passions, serving on many committees and in many clubs in the Menomonee Falls business community and area horseback riding clubs. He had such a love for the horse community and trail riding that he eventually sold his stained-glass studio and purchased a horseback riding campground on the edge of the Shawnee National Forest in Eddyville IL, where he spent many of his pre-retirement years running the Bear Branch Campground and restaurant. He spent his time spearheading trail rides and being an advocate for the community in securing the use of the trails through the area for his campground's horseback riders to enjoy. Upon his retirement, Dick moved back to Wisconsin to the Waukesha area to be closer to family and friends.
Surviving are his 2 daughters, Jodi (Tony) Marcyjanik and Wendy (Steve) Senger; 8 grandchildren, Kelsey (Christopher) Callahan, Casey (Gregorye) Bradford, LesLeigh (Gunnar) Lerch, Kate and Luke Brandenburg, and Brianna, Alex, and Gabby Bradford & 9 great-grandchildren; 3 brothers, Robert "Bob" (Kathy)Manders, Thomas Manders, and Jack (Myrt) Manders, and many very dear nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Dick was preceded in death by his parents.
A memorial visitation will be held from 11am -12pm on Wednesday, May 7th 2025 at the Chapel of the Pines Located in the Pinelawn Memorial Park, 10700 W Capitol Drive, Milwaukee, WI with graveside inurnment to follow. A gathering of family and friends will follow for fellowship at the El Hajj Lodge 7210 West Greenfield Ave, West Allis, WI.