Richard L. Kertis

Richard “Dick” Kertis, age 90, of the Town of Grant, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at the House of the Dove, Marshfield, Wisconsin.
Funeral service will take place at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at St. John Lutheran Church in Kellner, Wisconsin. The Rev. Matthew Lorfeld will officiate. Visitation will be from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at St. John.
Richard was born at home to Steve and Amanda (Saeger) Kertis on August 13, 1934, in the Town of Grant, Portage County, Wisconsin. Dick was an 8th grade graduate of the Clover School in the town of Grant.
He worked on the family farm and also co-owned a dairy farm and milk route for several years. After the farm, Dick worked for Arthur Jevnick at Safe-Way Bus, where he was a mechanic, equipment operator, bus and motor coach driver. He also worked as a mechanic and automatic transmission specialist for Gene Casey Oldsmobile. Dick next worked shop maintenance 6 ½ years at the National Guard Armory. Dick worked full-time with the Army National Guard as a Military Equipment mechanic and retired as Battalion Motor Sergeant, Specialist E-5, after 21 years of service.
After retiring from the National Guard, Dick was employed with Hoffman Construction in Black River Falls, WI, as a mechanic and foreman until his retirement from there.
Dick as very active in St. John Lutheran Church as an Elder, member of the Stewardship and Finance Boards, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and supervised the 3-04 Project.
He served 6 years as Supervisor for the Town of Grant, many years as Trail Boss for the Kellner Knights and manufactured a large number of trail blade grooming equipment for various snowmobile clubs throughout Central Wisconsin.
Dick married Kathleen Margeson on May 23, 1959, at St. John Lutheran Church.
Dick is survived by his wife, Kathleen, and daughter Shari Kertis; grandchildren Matthew Kocher, Jeremy (Maggie) Kocher, Joshua (Shannon) Kocher, Drew Jones, and Cole Pearson; great-grandchildren Sydney Kocher, Serene Kocher, Kaelyn Kocher, and Marlow Kocher. He is further survived by his brothers James (Jeanette) Kertis and Dale Kertis, sister Donna Kertis, and sisters-in-laws Gloria Linehan, and Gerda (Benny) Benedict, and son-in-law, Mark Pearson.
Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Steve and Amanda; sister, Berdine (Donald) Courter; brothers, Laverne (Carol) Kertis and Gilbert (Rachel) Kertis; daughter, Tina Pearson; and parents-in-law Donald and Edwarda Margeson.
Herman-Taylor Funeral Home is honored to be assisting the family.