Richard Samuel Nemelka

1943 - 2020

Richard Samuel Nemelka
1943-2020
Salt Lake City, Utah-So why can't you milk a mouse? An odd sort of question for sure but an inquiry that could really only be resolved by one person. And on September 19, 2020 we lost him. Richard "Dick" Nemelka passed peacefully and in the company of family following a battle with cancer and the only thing in this life brave enough to challenge him. And while our dad may be gone from the limits of this earth we all find true comfort in knowing that he has been delivered to a better place. A place where oranges grow without peels, where every person knows of and loves Catalina salad dressing, where every sandwich comes with 3 extra pounds of lettuce and "at least" 6 slices of tomato; and, a place where every donut is chocolate.
Our dad is already breaking every heavenly speed restriction to make a tee time on the course that can be finished in less than an hour and encourages putting one-handed from every spot. Only this time Dad you will be finding your bad shot sitting magically in the fairway upon a tee and on the most inviting tuft of grass the course can offer. He is asking those that have gathered to welcome him where the hot tub is located and if hair spray can be made available. Grandpa is resting on his favorite old, flat pillow that smells like the inside of a trucker hat and formulating the exact route across the eternal roadways that have green lights in all directions and where "turn only" lanes are merely suggestive.
Our dad is at peace and happy. There are no imaginary planes flying in his backswing or obscure cars honking horns while he putts from the sand trap and he is watching Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune and Family Feud at once and all without commercial interruption of course. So go fill up that 125 oz. cup you brought from another store Dad as refills are unconditionally free now and the ketchup for your limp undercooked fries comes pre-peppered.
He was truly loved by everyone that was not working the window at Wendy's or was forced to ask for a Costco card renewal fee when his shopping list was a jar of pickles and a giant tub of sour cream. He leaves behind countless friends and a family that will always champion his life, his generosity, his humility, and his unwavering way to remember "the power of positive thinking". And while he may have repeatedly punished us all with bathroom wall jokes, the aggravations of coaching in professional sports and the insolence of I-phone Siri he did it in that Dick Nemelka style and almost instantly we wanted him to engage with us again.
As for all of us that survive you Dad be it your overwhelmingly proud sons and daughters-in-law Stephen and Lisa, Rhett and Molly, Cary and Tiffany and Thomas; or your five grandchildren Braydon, Sydney, Jett, Ryann and Masyn; or your eternal love Jayne Nemelka and her children, Christopher and Rachelle and their families; or your remaining three brothers, Larry, Michael, and John, and one amazingly wonderful sister Beth; or, even the many UBER drivers you verbally assaulted over the years, we will carry you forward and always be the first to confidently answer that odd question with a reminder that mice cannot be milked because no one could get the bucket under them. With all love, respect and gratitude Dad, you did it to perfection.
Due to COVID restrictions, the family will host a private celebration of his life on Sunday, October 18th. A live stream link will be provided for all to view the ceremony. Please visit DickNemelka.com for information on the live stream, and to share your memories, stories, jokes, and pictures. Dick was a long-time supporter of West High Athletics and served on the board of directors for the Hearts 4 Hearts Scholarship Foundation. In lieu of flowers, we encourage a donation to either of these organizations in his honor, additional information can be located on his website. We thank you for your love and respect for our beloved father, grandfather, and brother, Dick Nemelka.