Richard W. Meister passed away at Agrace HospiceCare on April 13, 2019. He was born April 11, 1926, in Black Earth, WI, son of Albert and Grace Lockwood Meister. He attended McPherson elementary one-room school grades 1-8 and graduated from Verona High School, 1944. Following high school graduation, he worked on the family farm until enlisting in the US Army on October 15, 1946, with assignments to Camp Lee, VA, Seattle WA, and Sapporo, Japan. During the overseas assignment, he served as a paratrooper with the 11th Airborne Division. As a special military honor, he represented his regiment in the July 4, 1947 parade in Tokyo, with General Douglas McArthur as the reviewing officer. He also played on the regimental basketball team.
Following military discharge, he earned BS and MS degrees - education, UW Madison, married Ellen Hefty, and received his Ph.D. - Educational Administration, UW- Madison, 1972. Dick taught school at Kewaskum, Deforest, and Madison Sherman and East Junior high schools. He served as an administrator at Madison Memorial High School, Jefferson Middle School, and West High School. Following retirement from Madison, he served as an interim Administrator / Principal at Kickapoo, Waupun, Richland Center, and La Follette High School.
Losing his father at six months of age, growing up on a farm, experiencing strong discipline during paratrooper training, and earning 3 university degrees while working full-time certainly impacted his exemplary work ethic which he shared with hundreds of high school students during his career.
Dick's special interest in sports included being a successful basketball coach for 13 years, and officiating basketball/football/baseball for more than 35 years. He was an avid UW Basketball fan and a golfing member at Blackhawk Country Club. Another special interest was his affiliation with the Rotary Club of Madison West Towne-Middleton, being a charter member with perfect attendance for more than 35 years. He was honored as a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow for his involvement with several Rotary Club special projects: development of Pope Park on Old Sauk Rd, establishing fundraisers for the orphanages supported by Rotary and going to El Salvador and Guatemala several times to work at the orphanages. Dick enjoyed traveling to Idaho, Arizona, Europe, and Asia. He cherished his membership in the Catholic Church (Our Lady Queen of Peace), never having missed attending mass his entire life, except when aboard military ship going to Japan.
He is survived by his wife Ellen; brother-in-law Wayne Hefty; niece Rebecca Freitag; nephews Ron, Garry, Don, Tim and Rich Meister; and several great-nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father Albert, mother Grace, brothers Eugene and Donald, and nephew Joseph.
Memorial services will be held at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, 401 S. Owen, Madison on Tuesday, April 23, 2019, with a visitation starting at 10:00 am, mass at 11:00 am with lunch and reception at Blackhawk Country Club to follow. Cemetery Services will take place at a later date at Oak Hill Cemetery in the township of Springdale.
Memorials are suggested to the Rotary Club of Madison West Towne-Middleton Foundation, PO BOX 620312, Middleton, WI 53562-0312 or the Meister Memorial Fund @Blackhawk Country Club, 3606 Blackhawk Drive, Madison, WI, 53705
Dick was a long-time member of our Club, with decades of involvement and charitable give.
.Let’s show a strong Club presence at his visitation and memorial service