"My family met Art and Mary in 1981 in Madison Wis. He was such a great and compassionate human being. We were studentes with no much money and that summer we had a visit and he kindly brougth bags of food for all of us. Her duagther later married my brother in law and we bacame family. We were fortunate and cheerish that time in Madison where we got to know him. Mrs. and Ms. Avila. "
In loving memory of
Arthur J. Dick
June 26, 1923 - November 12, 2012
Madison - Arthur J. Dick, 89, entered eternal life on Monday, November 12, 2012, after a short hospital stay.
Art was born on June 26, 1923, to Arthur J. Dick, Sr. and Edith Vanden Boom Dick. He grew up in Milwaukee and often spent vacations with his mother's family in Quincy, Illinois. He graduated from Messmer High School in Milwaukee in 1941 and attended Milwaukee State Teachers College until he enlisted in the Army in 1943.
Art was placed in the Army Specialized Training Program. After this program was discontinued he became part of the combat infantry where he served in the 417th Infantry Regiment, 76th Infantry Division, fighting in Patton's Third Army and later Simpson's Ninth Army. His wartime experiences shaped him for the rest of his life, and he was an avid reader of books about World War II. He often joked, "I fought and I fought but I had to go anyhow." He received an honorable discharge in 1946 and returned home healthy and "without a scratch."
Art resumed his studies, under the G. I. Bill, at the University of Wisconsin - Madison where he received a BS degree in Chemistry. He worked as a chemist in both Rockford, Illinois, and Milwaukee before moving to Madison in 1961 to work as Technical Director of Lindsay Finishes, Inc., from which he retired in 1989.
In 1955 he married Mary K. Schowalter, whom he loved dearly, in Milwaukee.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Dick, of Madison; his sons Fred Dick (Tamara) of Snowmass Village, Colo., and John Reichmann (Nancy) of Green Bay; and grandchildren Shannon and C. J. Dick. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Susan Dick de Avila, son-in-law Jaime Avila Rosales and grandson Daniel Avila Dick.
Funeral services will be held at MOUNT OLIVE LUTHERAN CHURCH, 110 North Whitney Way, Madison, on Monday, November 19, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Jason Zobel officiating. A visitation will be held at church on Monday from 9:00 a.m. until time of service. Burial will be at Woodland Cemetery in Quincy, Illinois.
The family would like to thank Dr. James Shropshire and the caregivers at Oak Park Place and Meriter Hospital for their able and compassionate care.
Memorial gifts may be made to Messmer High School, 742 W. Capitol Drive, Milwaukee WI 53206, or to Paralyzed Veterans of America, 7 Mill Brook Road, Wilton NH 03086.