Richard Eugene Schatz
Richard Eugene Schatz, 91, was born Dec. 6, 1933, and he passed away on Jan. 30, 2025.
Pa Schatz left behind a lifetime of memories, love and laughter.
Though dementia slowly took its toll, family and friends will always remember the man he was—husband, father, grandpa, great-grandpa, son, brother and friend. A charismatic ladies’ man and an intelligent thinker, he tackled tough subjects like quantum physics and the existence of God with boundless curiosity.
Richard (Dick) was born to Eugene and Marie Schatz in Winona, Minnesota, one of six siblings (Richard, Lee, Denis, Gayle, Kathy and step-brother Randy).
Dick came from humble beginnings and was a strong believer in education. A self-taught voracious reader, he learned to read using comic books and carried a deep love for knowledge throughout his life. At a young age he moved from Winona to Troy, Montana by way of train.
His mother pinned his name to his shirt and his little brother and they traveled all by themselves. Unfortunately, the letter sent from his mother to his grandmother was lost along the way so no one was there to pick them up at the train station. Luckily some Troy kids were at the train station and led them to their stump ranch a few miles away. What a surprise that must have been for Grandma Schatz. The rest of the family came later.
It was Montana where he began his love affair with guns. Because his father traveled back to Chicago for work, his mother depended on him to hunt to provide for the family. After graduating from high school and working for the Forest Service in a fire tower for several years, he moved to Chicago for a summer of sophistication. It was there that he met the love of his life Joann Stelmach. The story is that she whistled at him from across the street and the rest was history.
They married on Oct. 2, 1954. Like his father, he became a master electrician quickly advancing to journeyman and foreman. He was a true cowboy at heart, raised in Montana with a deep love for the mountains and western culture. An outdoorsman through and through, he enjoyed hunting, fishing and collecting guns.
He and his wife retired to Montana after raising their four children in the Chicago suburbs, where they bred and showed Alaskan Malamutes. His knowledge of dog structure and genetics was remarkable and he applied the same dedication to everything he pursued.
Richard had a wicked sense of humor and a flair for storytelling, earning him the title of “a character” among those who knew him best. He invented what the family calls “Schatz luck,” most of which was, unfortunately, bad luck. He had more “what not to do” moments in the past four years since his wife’s passing than most people experience in a lifetime— oh, the stories we could tell!
A poet inspired by the likes of Robert W. Service and Alfred Noyes, he used words to woo his wife and express his deep appreciation for life. He believed in the future of humanity, dreaming of the day we would inhabit Mars. A man of resilience and independence, Richard came from the generation of self-sufficiency, never asking for help.
He taught his children to work hard and push themselves, taking immense pride in his grandchildren as they carried on his legacy. He romanticized Montana to his children and through 29 years of retirement, they all experienced a taste of the land he so dearly loved. Dick was a skilled problem solver and a fixer of anything broken. His passion for archery led him to help construct the first 3D archery range in Troy, where he inspired a new generation of archers.
He had nine lives, surviving countless adventures, and he never lost his mischievous spirit— whether it was the fastest draw in the West (just ask anyone who knew him) or his love for summer showers in the nude, much to the delight of his amused neighbors. He serenaded everyone with his made-up rhyming lyrics right until the end.
Richard is survived by two brothers: Denis and Randy, one sister: Kathy; four children: Mike (Karen Osteno), Bruce (Stacey), Dawn (Charlie Wurm) and David (Sherri); six grandchildren: Michael Schatz, Sam Schatz, Skye Matthes, Dustin Schatz, Melannie Wurm, and Emma Schatz; six great-grandchildren Masyn Matthes, Marlee Jo Matthes; Hunter Schatz, Remi Schatz, Wrigley Schatz, Lincoln Schatz.
In the last seven months, he found joy in the energy, love, and laughter of his great-grandchildren, celebrating his 91st birthday, giving them rides on his wheelchair, and teaching them his songs. We’d like to thank Heartland Hospice Care and Lake Hallie Memory Care for their dedication and kindness, especially in his final days.
We imagine he is now back in Montana, in the sky, at his beautiful log home ranch, where his beloved wife of 66 years is waiting for him—though likely yelling, “Dick, where have you been? Your supper has been on the table waiting for you and you’re going to eat every bite of it, God dammit!”
They shared a long, special relationship and now they are together again. Enjoy your freedom, Dad. We love you and will never forget you.
A celebration of life will occur on Aug. 2, 2025, in Troy.
