Richard Tollkuhn, 65, died of complications of emphysema Dec. 24, 2019 at his home in High Ridge, Missouri in the St. Louis area.
He was the son of Dorothy and Reinhold Tollkuhn, and grew up in Delavan. He graduated from Delavan-Darien High School in 1972 and was on the swimming team, winning a state competition in the butterfly.
Richard’s lifelong interest in art and architecture began when he studied at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, majoring in art, and graduating in 1976. He met his wife, Jane Clanton there, and they moved to St. Louis. He received a Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from Washington University.
During his career, he was the head scenic painter for the St. Louis professional stage theatres, including the Repertory Theatre, the Muny and Opera Theatre. He worked on set design for two movies and the St. Louis Museum of Science, taught art at Merrimac Community College, and drawing to architecture students at Washington University. Throughout his life, art and architecture were his passions, and he immersed himself in them. Paintings of his three children are family treasures.
Richard was a voracious reader, and even as a young boy spent Saturdays at the Aram Public Library reading in front of the fireplace for hours.
He is survived by his three children, daughter Kenian (Alex) Jenne of the Duluth, MN area, daughter Whitney (Josh) Chumley of St. Louis, and son Nicholas Tollkuhn of St. Louis; eight grandchildren; his former wife, Jane Clanton, of the St. Louis area; his brother, David Tollkuhn, of Fish Creek; his sister Cathy Tollkuhn Lively of Alexandria, VA; his nieces Jenny Loy and Christine Lively; his aunt and uncle, Jean and Don Hummel of Delavan; cousins in Wisconsin, Arizona, Missouri and Alaska, and family members on his father’s side in Germany.
Richard was an organ donor. A family remembrance will be scheduled at a later date.
A gift was made in memory of Richard by a dear old Delavan friend of his to the Charles and Ann Campbell Art Scholarship through the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Foundation. Anyone wanting to contribute may contact the UW-Eau Claire Foundation at foundation@uwec.edu.
