Richard Wisnieski Sr.

Richard Wisnieski Sr.

Richard Wisnieski Sr. was born in Wharton, Texas, on July 31, 1941, the third child and first son to Frank and Regina Guthman Wisnieski. Richard deeply loved his parents and his siblings, Ruth Wisnieski Rod of Wharton, Lois Wisnieski Franz of Angleton, Sammy Wisnieski and Sue Wisnieski, (twins) both of Wharton, and Andy Wisnieski, also of Wharton.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, sister Ruth and brother Andy.

Richard married his life-long love Kathryn Dale Teat “KD” on Feb. 17, 1962. Following in his father’s footsteps, Richard started his own trucking business and loved being on the open road, seeing the country, and meeting people; he never met a stranger. As a mechanic and welder, he worked on anything, never seeing a piece of junk but a piece of promise. He would drop everything he was doing to help anyone, money was never a factor, and if he had nothing to give he would make it. More than anything he always put God and family first.

In 1973, he moved his family from Wharton to Utopia, Texas, and spent the next 38 years in the Utopia/Sabinal area working and raising his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Children include eldest daughter Kelli Lyn and husband LeRoy Guenther, son Kevin Thomas Wisnieski and wife, Annette, youngest son Richard Wisnieski Jr., and two Utopia kids he loved as his own, Tommy Moore and Jeanie Youree Backor.

Grandchildren are his beloved Kara-Lyn Nicole Wisnieski Burkham, who he affectionately called Chuey, and her husband, Jeff, Jacquie Wisnieski Joldersma and husband Terry, Le Patrick Guenther, Kevianna Wisnieski, Kevin Thomas Wisnieski II, Clancy Parker Sterling Guenther, and Krystazyna Wisnieski. Great-grandchildren are Pearl Burkham, Kasey Richard Wisnieski, Marsha Nicole Burkham, Shelby Lyn Burkham, and Tierson Joldersma.

In 2003 Richard was struck by a hemorrhagic stroke, changing his and KD’s lives forever. In 2011, he and KD moved to Wickenburg, Arizona, to be near their daughter Kelli and her family. Richard developed Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and lived the last two years at BrookDale Trailridge Memory Care in Sun City West, Arizona, and the last few months under the care of Hospice of the Valley.

A member of the Church of Christ, never losing faith or hope and always with a smile, Richard fought very long and hard to stay on earth to be with his beloved wife KD. On Sunday, October 29, surrounded by family members, Richard’s suffering ended and God took him home.

The preceding is a paid obituary.