Richard Craig Lombard, 66, passed away Sept. 27, 2017, with loving family by his side. He is the loving father of Cassie (Matt) Wolfgram, Sacha (Luke) L. Helling- Christy, Jordan Lombard and Hannah Lombard. He is the dear grandfather of Avi, Maliya and Vivian Wolfgram, Alyana, River, Cyprus and Vienna L. Helling- Christy, and Alexis Lombard. He is the cherished brother of the late Charles Lombard, Jana (Jerrold) Schneider, Randy (Monica) Lombard and John (Armeda) Lombard.
He was born to Emogene and Cecil Lombard on April 15, 1951, during a flood in Prairie Du Chien. He was raised in Greenwood and after graduating from high school attended university at Eau Claire and Madison. He was a professor in the Special Education departments at the universities of Eau Claire and Whitewater. After retiring from teaching, he enjoyed living in Key Largo, Fla., and spending time at his cabin in northern Wisconsin.
Richard Craig Lombard was a man who loved deeply and was very proud of his family. He appreciated everyone and saw the good in people. He had an amazing sense of humor and knew how to make people laugh. He was deep and intelligent, and optimistic about life. He was not impressed by titles and was kind and compassionate to everyone he met. He stood for justice and was always rooting for people who are less fortunate. He had a passion for traveling and visited many countries over the years. He appreciated nature and spending time outdoors, including camping, hunting and spending time at the ocean in Key Largo and in the woods in Northern Wisconsin. He also had a passion for teaching and mentoring students at the university and wrote several books and articles about Special Education during his career. He enjoyed spending time with his family and was very proud of his children and grandchildren. His love and laughter lives on with the memories that family and friends hold deep within their hearts.
A celebration of life will be by his family July 1, at 1 p.m. at the Silver Dome Ballroom in Neillsville. In lieu of flowers, the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater’s Special Education Department has established a scholarship fund in Richard Lombard’s name. To make a cash gift, checks can be made out to the “UW-Whitewater Foundation Inc. in Memory of Rick Lombard” and sent to UW-Whitewater Foundation Inc., 800 West Main Street, Whitewater, WI 53190. Gifts can also be made online at www.uww.edu/foundation/give/form; find drop down: Designation “Special Education Dept. (Rick Lombard Memorial).
