Richard “Rich” “Dick” LaVerne Lau, age 86, of Wisconsin Rapids, died at his home on Sunday, April 28, 2019.

Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wisconsin Rapids. Pastor Lucas Proeber will officiate. Visitation will be from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Friday, May 3, 2019 at Herman-Taylor Funeral Home and on Saturday from 10:00 A.M. until the time of service at the church. Burial will be at Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. Military rites will be conducted by Wisconsin Rapids VFW Post No. 2534.

Richard was born on June 5, 1932 to Donald and Henrietta (Loonstra) Lau in Wisconsin Rapids. He married Shirley Martha Stensberg on November 10, 1956 at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wisconsin Rapids. Shirley died November 30, 2014. During their 58 years of marriage, Richard and Shirley spent the majority of their free time “up north” at their cottage on Lake Alice, relishing the time spent there with family – water skiing, swimming, tubing, paddle boating, and fishing. In later years, Richard and Shirley spent as much time as possible putting around Lake Alice in their pontoon boat. They were always happy to give rides to family young and old.

Richard was proud to have worked as a papermaker at Consolidated Papers, Biron Division, as a machine tender on #21 and #26 paper machines for 46 years, retiring in 1996. After retirement Richard drove vehicles to and from auctions for local car dealers.

Richard was also proud to be an American, having served in the United States Army from 1952 – 1954. After returning from service in the US Army, he served in the Wisconsin Army National Guard. He was a lifetime member of the VFW Post 2534 in Wisconsin Rapids.  Richard took pride in being a member of the honor guard.  Richard was honored to be one of many veterans on the Never Forgotten Honor Flight XIX to Washington DC, on April 27, 2015. Richard was passionately loyal to buying only American-made goods.

Richard is survived by four children: Daniel (Ruth) Lau, Richard (Cynthia) Lau, Sandra (Ronald) Meyers and Todd (Carrie) Lau; 2 nephews, whom Richard and Shirley raised to adulthood after the untimely passing of their mother, Dean (Tammy) Stensberg and Eric (James Peterson) Stensberg; 10 grandchildren: Jennifer (Raymond Fenzl) Lau, Ashley (Jake) Henrichs, Krista (Jason) Johnson, Andrew (Tracy) Lau, Kevin (Brittney) Lau, Stacy (Keenan) Dummer, Aiden Meyers, Amanda (Scott Wilhorn) Bohn, Rebecca (Brandon  Greeneway) Heineck, Travis (Charis Zarling) Lau; 12 great-grandchildren: Evan & Emma Henrichs, Lilian, Nikolai, and Silas Johnson, Everly Lau, Keegan, Breelyn and Kynslee Lau, Skyler and Lenix Heineck, and Barrett Lau; his brother, Ralph (Sylvia) Lau; his sister, Patricia (William) Stellmach; his sisters-in-law, Beverly Lau and Karen McCarthy; he is further survived by many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents and wife, Richard is preceded in death by his brother, Donald Lau; his father and mother-in-law, Edward and Emma Stensberg; his brother-in-law, William McCarthy; his sister-in-law, Joyce Stensberg; his infant brother-in-law, Wayne; and his great-grandchildren, Paige and Devon Bohn.

Memorials may be designated to the St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Endowment Fund or the Never Forgotten Honor Flight, 4404 Rib Mountain Drive #234, Wausau, WI 54401.

The family would like to thank the Aspirus Hospice staff for their care and compassion, the Meals on Wheels volunteers, and the volunteers at the Senior Center where Richard enjoyed gathering with friends for lunch.