Obituaries

Richard John Brashler, age 94, went to be with the Lord on January 5, 2018. Richard (Dick) was born in Milwaukee on April 20, 1923 to Henry T. and Lou M. Braschler (nee Batzler). Dick attended Morgan Park High School in Chicago where he met Shirley Franz whom he married in 1944. After graduating from Morgan Park in 1941, Dick enrolled at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where he was a member of the wrestling team and joined Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. He attended for one year until July of 1942, when, at the age of 19, he answered our nation’s call and enlisted in the Army Air Corps. Dick became a B-25 bomber pilot and instructor, training many young men to fly B-25’s in service to our country. Children Rick, Janet and Craig were born in in 1945, 1949 and 1953, respectively. In 1960, Dick and Shirley built the cottage “up north” on 1000 Island Lake which is the place we all call home.
After mustering out at the end of the war, Dick attended graduate school, and received an MBA from the University of Chicago in 1947. Dick then joined the investment banking firm Barcus, Kindred and Company, which became Ziegler Securities. Dick served as president of the company for 17 years until his retirement in 1980. Shirley and Dick divorced in 1988, and he subsequently met and married the late Mary Ann Gadow (nee Cavanaugh) in 1989, with whom he shared many happy adventures on sea and land.
Throughout his life, Dick was interested in serving others, manifested by his time serving the Geneva Illinois Community Chest, and Geneva School Board, including a tenure as president. During those years, and later in Fort Myers, Florida and Waynesville, North Carolina, Dick enjoyed many friendships, including the friends of Bill W. Over the last 48 years he was devoted to Bill W and also advocated for several charitable organizations including Mobility World Wide (PET – MO), an organization that provides personal mobility solutions to people in third world countries, and Ak Tenamit, an organization in Guatemala that helps to educate young people after the devastating violence in that country. Dick’s passions in life included his love of dogs, tennis, platform tennis, sailing, bridge, wilderness camping, fishing, and golf. In 1980 Dick was ranked in the top 15 doubles tennis players and the top 25 singles tennis players in the country for his age group.
Dick is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Ted. He is survived by his children, Rick (Jane Smith), Jan and Craig (Carol Carberry), four grandchildren – Dave (Jamie Wiederstein), John (Gretchen Ramsson), Lindsey (Mike LaRocco) and Doug (Maggie Alberti); six great grandchildren – Julia, Cate, Ethan, Will, Oscar and Evelyn; nephews Steven (Marylou), Andy (Mary Ellen) and Mike (Lois) and niece Susan Brashler Hollister (Bruce); and, nephew Bill Franz (Regina) and niece Julie Franz. Mary Ann’s children, Steve Gadow (Sue), Dan Gadow (Karen), David Gadow and Margaret Gadow (David Burns) were loved by Dick and they all much loved and cared for him.
A memorial service celebrating Dick’s life will be held at 11:00 am at Batavia UMC on March 10, 2018. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Mobility Worldwide https://mobilityworldwide.org/affiliates/missouri-columbia/
or the Batavia United Methodist Church, Batavia IL http://www.bataviaumc.com/

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