Richard E. Schalow

Richard was born Sept. 18, 1944, in Kansas City, Mo., son of the late Edward and Pauline (Hainey) Schalow. He was raised in Hammond, Ind., where he met and married his high school sweetheart, Margaret “Maggie” Earl, on July 14, 1964. They resided in Hammond for several years and eventually moved to Spread Eagle, Wis., in 1974.

A true jack-of-all-trades, Richard’s vast knowledge and determined work ethic made him the kind of person others naturally turned to in times of need. At the age of 49 he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy but that did not put a damper on his determination to work. He then teamed up with his sons, Rick and Rob, to purchase a truck and hauled freight cross-country for FedEx Custom Critical, sharing both the open road and unforgettable experiences.

In 2002, Richard purchased an RV and began splitting his time seasonally — spending summers in beautiful Wisconsin Dells, Wis., where he served as a maintenance director at River Bay Premier Camping Resort, and wintering in the south as snowbirds. Later, he took on the role of golf course superintendent at The Four Seasons Resort in Pembine, Wis., a position that allowed him to combine his love of the outdoors with his take-charge spirit.

Richard gave generously of his time to his community. He served on the Florence Volunteer Fire Department as well as the Florence Rescue Squad as an EMT. Along with Dorothy Vayda and Pastor Doug Johnson, Richard was instrumental in developing the St. Vincent de Paul store in the Florence community. He was a faithful member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Florence.

He is survived by his wife, Maggie; his three sons, Michael (Kris) Schalow of Iron Mountain, Robert (Angela) Schalow of Aurora, Wis., and Richard (Bonnie) Schalow Jr. of Pembine, Wis.; two daughters, Dawn (Jack) Schuch of Spread Eagle, and Carrie (Antonio) Rankin of Iron Mountain; 13 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; three brothers-in-law and a sister-in-law, along with their spouses; and many nieces and nephews.

Along with his parents, Richard was preceded in death by a sister and brother-in-law, Carol and Michael Arrigo.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, from 10 until 11 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church in Florence. A Memorial Mass will follow at 11 a.m. at the church, officiated by Father Soja Joseph.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Mary Catholic Church.

Condolences may be expressed to Richard’s family online at www.ernashfuneralhomes.com.

The family has entrusted arrangements to the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home of Iron Mountain.