Richard Clair Weisgram, 92, of Austin, died Monday, July 28, 2008, at Good Samaritan Society Comforcare.
He was born July 15, 1916, in Isanti to Ignaz and Eva (Jacobson) Weisgram.
Richard attended school in Bowdale, S.D., in 1941 he joined the U.S. Army and served in World War II. On June 9, 1943, he married Billie Krucker in New York City. After the war Richard worked in the mechanical division at Hormel for 33 years.
Richard was a member of Fellowship United Methodist Church for 53 years, where he sang in the church choir until the age of 91. He played clarinet and saxophone from an early age and played semiprofessionally in the 1930s and ‘40s. He was a former member of the Austin Male Chorus, Austin Community Band, Albert Lea Community Band and Austin Swing Band. He was also a member of the American Legion. He loved woodworking and traveled extensively throughout the United States during his retirement. He was creative, artistic and loved to paint. He dearly loved and was very proud of his family.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Stella; and brothers, Milton, Daniel, Leo, Ralph, and infant brother Edward.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Friday at Fellowship United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dennis Tamke officiating. Interment will be in the Grandview Cemetery in Austin with the American Legion in charge of military rites. Visitation will be at Fellowship United Methodist Church on Friday for one hour before the service.
He is survived by his wife: Billie Weisgram of Austin; sons and daughters-in-law: Donald and Martha Weisgram of Madison Lake and Stephen and Diane Weisgram of Albert Lea; grandchildren: Amy and Matt Engstrom of St. Paul, Gretchen Weisgram of Minneapolis, Christopher and Erica Weisgram of Plover, Wis., and Michael Weisgram of Madison Lake; great-grandchildren: Jack Engstrom, Anders Engstrom and Alexander Weisgram; and sister: Mildred Haux of Colorado Springs, Colo.
Clasen-Jordan Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.