JOLES, Richard O., age 84

Died: Thursday, August 13th, 2015

Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m. on Monday, August 17, 2015 at Eau Claire Wesleyan Church in Eau Claire.

Visitation: one hour prior to service at the church

Interment will be at a later date.

Richard Owen Joles wanted nothing more out of life than to be a good man. He succeeded.

The much beloved 84-year-old died on a hospital bed in the living room of his Eau Claire home on Thursday, August 13, 2015. He died quietly while his family sat nearby sipping coffee and swapping stories about his life.

Richard was born into hardship in Wisconsin Rapids, WI on March 18, 1931. His mother died giving birth to him. His distraught lumberjack father took his life four months later. Dick and his five sisters were split up and sent to live with relatives around the country.

Dick spent his formative years in Davenport, Iowa raised by his aunt Nettie and uncle Richard Worton. While Dick had an active mind, school did not hold his interest. He finished ninth grade, then drifted a bit before he signed on the dotted line to become a U.S. Marine. There he found discipline, purpose and learned about human diversity.

In 1955, the city boy met the farm girl, Carol Oritha Fossum. Dick's sister Irene set them up on a blind date. They married a year later. Dick and Carol went on to have three sons.

About the time they started their family, Richard got a job as a firefighter for the Eau Claire Fire Department. In some ways it was the perfect job for him. He almost daily got the chance to serve his community and people in need. He retired as a lieutenant, nearly 30 years after joining the department. His motto---never ask other  firefighters to go where he wouldn't go. On his days off, Dick took jobs as a carpenter and a house painter, whatever he needed to do to support his family and to pursue the American dream.

Richard enjoyed fishing for the elusive brown trout in nearby streams. Fishing in Wisconsin lost some of its luster when he took a trip to Norway and the angling  proved too fast, the haul too big. He enjoyed working with stained glass, gardening and refinishing old furniture. Dick also spent countless hours grooming his perfect lawn and maintaining his nearly perfect house.

Long after his sons had grown up and had families of their own, Richard shared with them a long-held secret. He was not of Cherokee descent as he had said; he had been born to Gypsy people. He told his children the world disliked Gypsies because of their reputation, and he was fearful his children would be discriminated against.

Those who spent time with him, knew Dick was honest and fair to a fault. He believed people should get ahead through superior thinking and hard work and not politicking. He detested prejudice and entitlement. 

Richard leaves behind his wife, Carol; sons, Tom (Pat Peterman), Mike (Sherie), David (Marie); grandchildren, Allison Flores-Joles, Ellie, Max and Betsy Joles, and Spencer Joles; many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Gracie Joles; sisters, Violet, Edith, Millie, Irene and Delores; and brother, Ray, who died in infancy.