Richard L. "Dick" Wilcox

Richard L. “Dick” Wilcox, 69 of rural Starkweather, ND died on Friday, September 21, 2007 at Mercy Hospital, Devils Lake after a long courageous battle with cancer with his loving family at his side. Funeral Services for Richard will be held on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity-Bergen Lutheran Church, Starkweather. Rev. Robert Buechler will officiate and burial will be in the Trinity-Bergen Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Monday at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. Visitation on Tuesday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. Serving as Casket Bearers for Dick will be Don Bertsch, Arne Berg, Glen Weber, John Myklebust, Tom Erickstad and Clayton Erickstad Honorary Bearers will be Donny Iverson, Vernon Bertsch, Darwin Brooke, Brian Johnson, the “coffee crew” and “card players” and all area farmers. Richard Leonard Wilcox, the son of Kenneth and Helen (Shaw) Wilcox was born in Devils Lake, ND on September 5, 1938. He attended grades 1-8 at Webster Elementary School and then attended Devils Lake Central High School, graduating in the class of 1956. He continued to farm with his Father and Mother and then purchased his own farm, west of Starkweather in 1960. He would make farming and this farm the home for his wife and family for the rest of his life. He studied mechanics at Wahpeton State School of Science in 1961 and later joined the National Guard, serving for 9 years, first with the Camp Grafton Unit and later with the Cando Unit. Richard was united in marriage to Donna Dodgson on November 13, 1976 at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Devils Lake. They made their home on the farm where they lived, worked and raised their family through the years. Richard was a member of Trinity-Bergen Lutheran Church and a life member of the Devils Lake Elks Lodge. Richard was a man dedicated to the soil, but when he needed a diversion or break from farming, he enjoyed deer hunting in the fall and most mornings you could find Dick having a strong cup of coffee and good conversation at the elevator and then a drive over to city hall for a rousing game of “Smear” with his friends. As much as Dick loved the land, the love and pride he had for his wife, children and grandchildren could not be measured. It is that love we will hold forever in our hearts and our memories. Dick is survived by his loving wife, Donna Children: Doreen Loehr and her husband, Steve of Devils Lake; Rhonda Korgel and her husband, Bryan of Minot; Darren Wilcox of Starkweather; Renae Alfstad and her husband, Kyle of Sheyenne, ND; Grandchildren: Kadie and Kari Loehr and Kaden and Layne Korgel. Sisters: Ethel Pauschert of Auburn, Washington; Betty Lybeck and her husband, Doug of Seattle, Washington; Genevieve Olson and her husband, Gary of Grand Forks; Several nieces, nephews and cousins also survive. He was preceded in death by his parents.