Richard J. Klimek

Richard J. Klimek, age 87 of Broadview Heights, OH and Crest Hill, IL passed away Tuesday, June 27, 2023, in the company of his loving family. Born September 2, 1935, to John and Jenny, he is survived by his wife of 64 years, Rose Marie (nee Menzik), whom he adored, and their two children: Richard A. Klimek (Lou Ann) and Rosanne P. Huebener – both of whom mostly brought him joy. Rich was the brother of his “much older” sister Arlene Dukala, uncle to her children Bonnie, Toni & John, and an extremely proud grandfather to Tyler, Dima, Ellie, Callie (Brock) & Michael. As well, “dog father” to his departed pal Rusty.

He was a devoted Catholic family man and good friend to many, serving in the U.S. Army and receiving his business degree from Northwestern University. In his professional life, he spent time in the field of Labor Relations and retired from a long and rewarding career as a United States Federal Mediator, where he received numerous accolades. He was an ardent supporter of his beloved Chicago professional sports teams and would be thrilled to know that some of his ashes just might settle on Wrigley Field.

Always an innocent flirt, Rich was passionate about cool cars, great music and blue comedy. He lived on a steady diet of pizza, Italian beef sandwiches, Chicago-style hot dogs and anything sweet or covered in chocolate. His exercise regimen consisted of walking to the fridge and back to his desk. He loved bowling, golf and playing poker – much to the chagrin of his playing partners and numerous casinos. His sharp wit and sarcastically wry sense of humor was (mostly) always entertaining. His conversations often started with “A horse walks into a bar…”. Although we heard that bit a thousand times, we’ll really miss hearing it from him again. And if he saw you now, of course he’d ask, “why the long face?”.

A celebration mass will be held in his honor at Church of the Assumption in Broadview Heights, OH at 10:00am on Friday, July 7^th. This event will also be livestreamed on the church website at www.coabvm.org. Additionally, the family is planning a celebration in the Chicagoland area – potentially at Home Run Inn or Portillo’s.

In lieu of flowers or other contributions, please consider making a donation in Rich’s name to the amazing team at Miracle City Hospice in Broadview Heights, OH. https://miraclecityhospice.com/donate/