Richard Leroy Pantley, age 94, of Reedsburg, passed away peacefully June 27, 2024 at the Senior Life Center. Richard, son of Ray and Melba Pantley, was born Dec. 26, 1929 in Seattle, Washington. He grew up and was educated in Seattle, where he spent most of his life.

Richard was united in marriage to Helen Overbye in April 1953. They had 3 children.

Richard spent 8 years in the Navy as an aviation metalsmith. Taking advantage of the G.I. Bill, he attended North Dakota Teachers College at Ellendale, ND, earning a degree in Industrial Arts Education.

Richard returned to Seattle to work in auto body repair. He later obtained a job as a draftsman, designing equipment for an industrial refrigeration company. After eleven years he moved to Portland, Oregon to do similar work for a large cold storage warehouse company.

After about one year in Portland, he was a passenger in his supervisor’s pickup which was involved in a head on collision. He became disabled and, after months of hospitalization, the family moved back to Seattle. Richard became the house husband, while Helen was employed and the children grew up. She died in January 2008 of multiple cancers.

In 2009 he remarried Margery Fetsch of Reedsburg, whom he had known for over 50 years as she was Helen’s sister. They became residents of Ridgeview homes in Reedsburg. Richard liked woodworking, making small furniture and wood veneer wall plaques resembling quilt blocks or crosses.

Richard was predeceased by his parents; brother Wally; sister Pat; and first wife Helen. Survivors are wife Margery; son Mark (wife Beverly) of Loudon, TN; daughter Kim of Lynnwood, WA; son Dana (wife Monica) of Seattle, WA; two grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

When he lived in Seattle, Richard joined the Neptune Society, which will handle his cremation and the scattering of his ashes in Puget Sound, Washington State.

He will be greatly missed.

A memorial service will be held Sunday, July 7 at 2pm at First Presbyterian Church in Reedsburg. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the charity of your choice.