Richard Quitmeyer

Richard Frederick Quitmeyer was born January 27, 1925 in Detroit, MI, the son of Henry and Clara (Kaemmerer) Quitmeyer. Richard grew up and attended school in Detroit. At age seventeen Richard left school and headed to Chicago, IL where he joined the merchant marine in 1942. Richard served his country during World War II working on freighters and traveling across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in convoys. He also served in the Mediterranean Sea, often traveling to Italy. Following his discharge from the merchant marine in 1945 began an acting career. He worked with Esther Williams and Jimmy Durante in the movie ?This Time For Keeps?. In 1951 Richard moved to Alexandria, MN where he was united in marriage to Margaret Raap. The couple made their home in Alexandria where they were blessed with six children. Richard became a local merchant and opened several outlet stores specializing in merchandise liquidation. He operated Dick?s Wonder House and later Dick?s Super Outlet. In 1974 he sold out of the retail business. Dick drove truck for Anderson Trucking in St. Cloud and later as an independent trucker with his own rig. He retired in 1984. Richard enjoyed traveling. He owned a Cessna 170 with Ed Schwartzwald, which he loved to fly. Richard also loved cruising on the seas around the world. Richard didn?t care for the large cruise liners. All of his cruises were taken aboard freighters with very limited passenger capacity. He loved being on the freighters and was once invited by a captain to help steer a freighter through the Panama Canal. Richard also loved riding via his motorcycle. Richard was interested in old Chryslers and collected a few of them. He liked to go bass fishing and spend time playing cards, especially cribbage and pinochle. He loved listening to classical music. He was an avid Twin?s fan and traveled to see them in training camp. Richard was a former member of the Elks Lodge. On Friday, July 30, 2010 Richard died at the age of eighty-five years. He was preceded in death by one son, Jack Quitmeyer; five brothers, Gerhardt, Sig, Rudy, John and Hugo; and three sisters, Christine, Elizabeth and Maria. Richard is survived by one daughter, Cindy Quitmeyer of Denver, CO; four sons, Dick Quitmeyer of St. Louis Park, MN, Doug Quitmeyer of Minnetonka, MN, Gary Quitmeyer of Alexandria and Scott Quitmeyer and wife, Donna, of Alexandria; seven grandchildren, Jason Henke, Tonya Quitmeyer, Mathies Nodding, Josh Quitmeyer, Tyra Quitmeyer, Anthony Quitmeyer and Michael Quitmeyer; two great granddaughters, Lucy and Hannah; one brother, Carl Quitmeyer of Fairfax, VA; and many nieces and nephews. Richard chose to donate his body to science. Private interment in Kinkead Cemetery will be at a later date. The American Legion Post 87 and the VFW Post 936 accorded military honors. Arrangements were with the Anderson Funeral Home.