Full Obituary

     RICHARD M. ADLER, age 76, of Greenwood, passed away surrounded by his family, on Sunday, July 1, 2018 at the Marshfield Medical Center, in Marshfield.  Funeral services will be held at 11am on Friday, July 6, 2018 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenwood.  Rev. Steve Brice will officiate, and burial will follow in the parish cemetery.  Pallbearers will be:  Bob Moseley, Arnie Kappas, Harry Johnson, Bruce Sautebin, Ron Kowitz, Al Dallman, Marty Hillert and Ken Peterson.  Military rites will be conducted by the Greenwood American Legion Post #238.  Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 5, 2018 at St. Mary's Catholic Church from 4pm to 8pm, with a 7:45pm rosary service.  Visitation will also be held at the church on Friday, from 10am until time of service.
     Richard Martin Adler was born on June 28, 1942 in Marshfield, WI, to Roman and Agnes (Rutherford) Adler.  He was raised and received his education in Marshfield, graduating from Columbus High School in 1960.  After graduating from high school, Dick furthered his education by attending the United States Armed Forces Institute, American Technical Society, University of Wisconsin correspondence courses, US Dept. of Agriculture and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association management courses.  In 1961, Dick enlisted in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 120 Artillery, achieving the rank of Sergeant.  He served as Battery Clerk and Motor Sergeant, and later served with the 32nd Infantry Division (Red Arrow) at Fort Lewis Washington during the Berlin Crisis.  Dick was united in marriage to Colleen Annette Syth on April 8, 1967 at St Mary's Catholic Church in Greenwood, and they celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2017.
     Dick was employed at Clark Electric Cooperative from 1960 until retiring in 2005, where he served as: Office Clerk/Office Manager, Assistant Manager, General Manager and CEO.  He organized Clark Electric Appliance & Satellite, Inc., serving as President from 1992-2005.  Dick was also very involved in several state organizations, which included: serving as Secretary-Treasurer, Vice-President and President of the Wisconsin Office Managers Association, Electric Cooperative Managers Association of Wisconsin, Dairyland Managers Association, and was a member of the board of directors of the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association.  Dick received the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Ally of Cooperative Excellence award in 2004, and served as Vice President of Ener-tran and Cooperative Energy Services.  He served 20 years as a Sergeant-of-Arms, 10 years as Chief Sergeant, for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and regularly attended the national annual meetings.
     Locally, Dick was instrumental in organizing the Adler-Clark Electric Community Foundation, served as Secretary/Treasurer of the Greenwood Industrial Development Corporation, helped develop the Industrial Park on Greenwood's East side, assisted in the financing of the Greenwood Homes Building, (later purchased by the Weathershield Corporation and then by Grassland Dairy Products).  He also served on the Greenwood city council from 1969 to 1976, where he was Council President and temporary Mayor after the death of Mayor Don Warner.  Those years are when the City of Greenwood developed a Satellite Well system.  Dick was also served as chairman of "Branstiters Main Streets of Greenwood" Museum committee for 10 years, Secretary and President of Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, helped organize and served as Vice President of Clark County Economic Development Corporation, was part of the Executive Committee for Farm Progress Days in 2005, when over 50,000 people visited the expo in Clark County, served  as Business Coordinator and Board Member of the Greenwood Festivals, Inc., now known as The Dr. William A. Olson Community Foundation, Inc. from 1976 to 2017.  During that period, he developed the Greenwood Clinic in downtown Greenwood, following the retirement of Dr. Olson.  The Clinic was later purchased by the Marshfield Clinic and relocated on Greenwood's south side.
     Dick was presently serving as the Assistant Finance Officer and Chaplin for Greenwood American Legion Wallis-Hinker-Brux Post 238.  He chaired the committee to honor the Greenwood Civil War Veterans, with many receiving new headstones in the cemetery.  He also chaired the committee to add Capt. Gary Brux, who was the first Greenwood combat casualty in the Vietnam War, to the Legion name. Additionally, Dick chaired the committee to have a new monument installed in the Greenwood Cemetery for all Greenwood men who perished in past wars, and was co-chairing a future project for a Veterans Memorial (Medi-vac Helicopter).
     Dick was a long-time member of St. Mary's Catholic Church where he served as chairman of the finance committee, and also served as usher, lector, and Eucharistic minister.  He organized and served as Secretary/Treasurer of St. Mary's Memorial Fund from 1992 to 2016, and President since 2016, and was a past trustee of St. Mary's Parish, Inc.  He and his wife, Colleen, were enrolled in the "UNBOUND" Mission program.
     He also served many years on the State Bar of Wisconsin Fee Arbitration Program Committee.
     Dick had many interests, but especially enjoyed growing bedding plants in winter months, gardening, hacking at golf, traveling, playing at the casinos, history (especially the Civil War), traveling to the southwest United States in the winter, playing sheepshead, and watching the Badgers, Packers, Brewers, and Bucks.
     He organized the placement of six Legacy Stones at Highground Memorial, in Neillsville, for the Adler family:  Five stones for his brothers that served, and one stone for his parents and two sisters.
     Dick is survived by his wife, Colleen, of Greenwood;  3 sons: Scott (Dawn) of Jefferson, WI, Mark (Jamie) of Cottage Grove, MN, Mike (Sarah) of La Crosse, WI;  7 grandchildren: Joseph, Sophie, Ellisyn, Kailyn, Wyatt, Will and Stella;  2 brothers: Terry (Marion) Adler of Marshfield, Tom (Sue) Adler of Green Bay; 2 sisters: Barb (Lee) LeMoine of Land O' Lakes, WI, Ellen (John) Murphy of Oshkosh, WI; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
     He was preceded in death by his parents, and 2 brothers: Glenn and Norm Adler.
     In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to the St. Mary's Catholic Church Memorial Fund.