Full Obituary

     The tractors are still, the cows are quiet and the fields of Thorp lost one of their own. Richard “Rich” Thomas Broda—husband, father, Papa, farmer and proud Thorp Cardinals fan—unexpectedly passed away on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, leaving behind muddy boots far too big to fill.
     Born on April 3, 1954, in Stanley, Wisconsin to Thomas and Josephine (Krzyzanowski) Broda, Rich grew up just outside of Thorp on the family dairy farm, attended Thorp Catholic School and graduated from Thorp High School in 1972. After high school, he rolled up his sleeves and joined his father on the family farm. He met Cheryl Janicki in 1974, and it didn’t take him long to know she was the one. They were married on August 20, 1977, and spent nearly five decades building a life together.
     When his father passed in 1989, Rich carried the torch—and the pitchfork—farming and milking cows for decades. In 2007, he made the bold leap to organic, proving that even seasoned farmers can try something new.
     Rich was not a man of many words, but when he spoke, it was often with a good-natured tale. He found joy in the simple things: the rumble of a Case IH tractor, a Pepsi after chores, a good rock song from the ’70s, and Packers win (preferably over the Bears or Vikings). He was fiercely loyal—to his family, his land, and Wisconsin athletics; Brewers, Packers, and Badgers. You could catch him in the stands for the Thorp Cardinal games, including cheering his sons on as they won the 1993 WIAA State Division 6 Football Championship, and in 2018, as his oldest son coached in the WIAA State Baseball Tournament.
     To his grandchildren, he was simply “Papa”—the guy who made everything fun. Papa gave tractor rides that felt like adventures, including the annual fall family and friends hayride. He drove the ATVs with the grandchildren just fast enough to make their parents nervous, and played backyard baseball like it was Game 7 of the World Series.
     Rich is survived by his wife, Cheryl; children, Shannon of Las Vegas, NV; Kory (Anna) of Boyd, WI; Carrie (Ben) Ottum of Eau Claire, WI; and Katelyn (Jeff) Strzok of Thorp, WI. His sister, Kathy (Dan) Englebert of Eau Claire, WI; in-laws Bill (Mary) Janicki of El Dorado Hills, CA; Karen (Randy) Zelin of Wisconsin Rapids, WI, and Beverly Janicki of Gilman, WI.
     He leaves behind five grandchildren who adored him: Anderson and Greyson Ottum; Aubrey, Ethan, and Kaden Strzok; and one grandbaby on the way, due in June, already destined to hear stories of Papa’s adventures, his legacy, and his Case IH hat.
     Rich didn’t need a spotlight or a stage; his legacy lives in the land he worked, the family he raised, and the lives he touched. So next time you hear a tractor hum, see a classic car cruise by, or attend a local dairy breakfast- think of him.
     We’ll miss you, Rich. The farm won’t be the same without you—but we’ll carry your story forward, in the fields and beyond.