Richard A. Grant
May 3, 1937 – Sept. 30, 2023
LAKE WISCONSIN/MERRIMAC – Richard A. Grant of Lake Wisconsin/Merrimac, passed away at home on September 30, 2023. Richard was born in Springfield, IL, to William and Dorothy (Shields) Grant, on May 3, 1937.
After serving his country in the armed forces for three years from 1955 through 1958, Richard returned home from Korea and married Nancy A. Peters on July 3, 1959. They raised two children together, Frank (Trish Burch) Grant of Merrimac and Laura (Michael) Zieman of Penn Valley, CA. They also had one grandson, Ryan Zieman, also of California.
Richard received several certificates for training including Illinois Labor Law, Supervision, and Human relations. He also completed the Dale Carnegie course Effective Speaking and Human Relations. He owned and operated a successful trucking company before selling the business and relocating the family to Lake Wisconsin in Merrimac in 1978. Richard retired from Alliant Energy (WP&L) in 1999. Richard and Nancy bought a second home in Salome, AZ, in 2000. They enjoyed their winters together traveling to Arizona from Wisconsin in their RV, “The Bus,” and reconnecting each year with the many friends they made from all over the U.S. and Canada.
Richard was active in the community on many levels. He taught youth snowmobile safety for the Department of Natural Resources; college credit welding at M.A.T.C. in Portage, and clay target trap shooting. An avid hunter and fisherman, Richard was a longtime member of the Sauk County Alliance of Sportmens’ Clubs and the Merrimac Conservation Club, where he also served as President.
Richard ran for the Merrimac Town Board and served as Town Chairman for ten (10) years and chaired the Merrimac Zoning Commission until he retired from community service in August of this year. During his tenure he was most proud of his acquisition of six acres for the town from the Evan Clingman family and for his service as an administrative law judge for the Town of Greenfield. After stepping down as Town Chairman, the Board renamed the Clingman property as Richard A. Grant Park, a natural site in the town for hiking and fishing. The Natural Heritage Land Foundation (now known as Groundswell Conservancy) recognized the town for their conservation efforts after they acquired the property.
Richard also served Sauk County representing the town on the Badger Reuse Committee and the Badger Oversite & Management Committee. In August of this year, the Sauk County Board Chair recognized Richard for his leadership and community service which led not only to the creation of Richard A. Grant Park, but for the coordination with the Wisconsin DOT overseeing improvement of State Highway 78, two major subdivisions in the town, serving on the committees overseeing the cleanup and the conversion of the former Army Ammunition Plant into the Sauk Prairie Recreational area; and “many other community changes and projects too numerous to mention.”
Richard was preceded in death by his parents; his in-laws, Fred and Agnes Peters; brother-in-law, Jim Peters; his wife, Nancy; and his buddy, Guinness. His survived by his children, their spouses, and his grandson.
At his request there will be no services held.
If you wish to honor his memory, the family requests that donations in his memory go to the Town of Merrimac Park Fund, PO BOX 115, Merrimac, WI, 53561; or to the Sauk County Humane Society, 618 Linn St, Baraboo, WI, 53913.
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Published by Madison.com on Oct. 8, 2023.
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