Richard "Dick" C. Weis

Richard "Dick" C. Weis died on April 2, 2017 at home in Freeport, IL. He was born April 27, 1936 at Milwaukee Children's Hospital to Richard and Dorothy (Hammer) Weis. He attended Clark Street School until being afflicted with Bulber and Spinal Polio in 1945, after which he was in rehab for one year, then attended Gehnslen Orthopedic School through 1949. He then attended Craig School for seventh and eighth grades and graduated from Wauwatosa High School in 1955. He attained a B.S. degree from UW Milwaukee in 1976. On November 24, 1956 Dick married Carolyn Mitton and they raised five daughters in Milwaukee. After Carolyn's death on February 9, 2003, he married Sandra Wallmo on October 11, 2003 at Krape Park in Freeport, IL and they spent their time between homes in Freeport and Sun City, AZ, and enjoyed cruising all over the world. Dick's broadcast career began at WRIT Radio in Milwaukee, and in 1963 he became sales manager of WYLO Radio. In 1967 he was hired as sales manager of WVTV Channel 18 in Milwaukee. He later became general manager of the Schlitz Broadcast Division of the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company which owned the radio and television broadcast rights for the Milwaukee Brewers, Marquette U., UW Milwaukee, and the Milwaukee Bucks. During that time he hired Bob Uecker, Tom Collins, Eddie Doucette, and Merle Harmon. In 1979 he built, from the ground up, WCGV TV 24 in Milwaukee, the country's first pay-per-view television station. In the 1960s he also was a disc jockey in the Milwaukee area, promoting and staging weekend teen sock hops, and in 1967 he founded "Teen Beat" Magazine. Dick coached Concordia Jr. High and High School Basketball from 1966-70. He also coached the Concordia Jr. College basketball teams from 1973-1978, winning the State Championship in 1973-74 and 1977-78. He began Concordia's four-year basketball program in 1978-79 and in his last year of coaching, 1979-80, the Falcons won their second trip to the National Little College Tournament. He also assisted Concordia football coach Andy Luptak as receivers', defense backs', and special teams' coach. As a testimony to Dick's coaching abilities and mentoring, many of his former players of 40 years ago retained cherished friendships with him throughout his life. Dick also played on and managed Raabe Paint fast pitch softball teams through the 1979 season. He is in the Concordia/Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame, and is a member of the Major League Baseball Players' Alumni Association. Dick and his first wife moved to Freeport, IL in 1982 when he bought his own radio station, WFPS, where he was known as the "Big Kahuna." In 1989 he was elected mayor of Freeport and served two four-year terms. He retired in 1998. His career and life's work on behalf of others have him listed in Who's Who in America Broadcasting, Coaching, and Politics. He was a Paul Harris Fellow with the Freeport Noon Rotary Club, was awarded the Rotary Club's Community Image Award, and was named the Junior Chamber of Commerce Boss of the Year. While mayor of Freeport he served on the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Because of the help his parents received when Dick was stricken with polio as a child, his passion in life was to pay back to others with disabilities or those in need. Legendary are his times sitting on the roofs at Super Value, Lee's Foods, and Walmart during his time as a radio station owner in Freeport and as Freeport's mayor to raise money for summer camps and vans for people with disabilities. Another time he wrapped himself like a mummy to raise funds for a local family whose husband/father had terminal cancer. He spent 17 years soliciting mittens and caps for children, and one year filled two semis of food for the food pantry while sitting in an outdoor toilet. In 2011 Dick and his wife, Sandy, raised funds and established the Coach Weis Endowment Fund at Concordia University/Wisconsin giving students with disabilities yearly financial aide at Concordia. Dick is preceded in death by his parents; his first wife Carolyn; his daughter, Dawn Lenzke; and his sister, Joan Dieringer. He is survived by his wife, Sandy; daughters Sandra (Scott) Summers of Waukegan, IL; Debbie (Ken) Moore of Belleville, WI; Sherrie Larson of L'Anse, MI; Lorie (Conor) Arendt of Freeport, IL; stepdaughter Elizabeth Wallmo of Freeport, IL; son-in-law Jim Lenzke of West Bend, WI; 15 grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren. Also surviving are the scores of good friends whose lives were touch by him -- and who touched his life. A celebration of Dick's life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 15, 2017 at the Highland Community College Student/Conference Center (Bldg. H), 2998 W. Pearl City Rd., Freeport, IL 61032. In lieu of flowers, please honor Dick's life by doing a random act of kindness for someone in need.