Richard '(Dick)' Siemers

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Siemers, Richard (Dick) of Aitkin, an accomplished business manager, a dedicated and beloved father, a captain of Mille Lacs, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, April 15, at North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale, Minn. Dick was born Sept. 7, 1940, in Minneapolis to Kenneth and Hazel Siemers. He graduated from Aitkin High School in 1959 and in 1973 earned a degree in accounting from Brainerd Area Vocational Technical Institute. Dick married Jerry Sack of Inkster, N.D., on Sept. 11, 1961. Together, they helped raise six of Dick's siblings following the death of his parents, as well as four children of their own. He spent much of his life on Mille Lacs Lake, either piloting his own fishing launch or running Myr Mar Lodge, the private supper club north of Garrison owned by his parents and later by himself. He acquired his first fishing launch, "The Dickie," when he was 13 and would eventually guide thousands of patrons on fishing excursions through his Dick Siemers Launch Service. His 60-foot, double-decker pontoon, perched perennially outside the Blue Goose Inn, for two decades was an icon of summer in Garrison, Minn. Dick made the most of his accounting talents. For 26 years, he worked as the business manager for Onamia Public Schools. He would later spend several years as a tax professional at H&R Block in Brainerd while taking great joy in preparing tax filings for much of his family. In addition to much of his life's accomplishments, Dick also served two years as an Aitkin County Commissioner, where he particularly enjoyed his work with the Aitkin County Historical Society. He also served six years as a member of the Hazelton Township Board, was honorably discharged from the Army National Guard of Minnesota, where he achieved the rank of staff sergeant, and for many years volunteered as treasurer of Shepherd of The Lake Lutheran Church in Garrison. Dick will be deeply missed by his wife, Jerry; four children, Toni (Jerry) Cassady, Ken (Hal) Siemers, Tara (Hal) Creten, Erik (Nicole) Siemers; sisters, Nancy (Bob) Kokesh, Linda McGillis, Glenda (Mike) Murphy, Patti (Rick) Baillif, Sharon (Daryl) Hanson; brothers, Dennis and Douglas Siemers; seven grandchildren, Dillon Heins, Ashley Laurion, Cody Heins, Abby Creten, Quinn Siemers and Keaton Siemers; and two great-grandchildren, Walker and Paxton Laurion. He was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth Siemers; his mother, Hazel Siemers; his sister, Tammy Siemers; his half brother, David Barthelemy; and brother-in-law, Jack McGillis. A visitation was held on April 20 at Sorensen-Root-Thompson Funeral Home in Aitkin. Funeral services were held on April 21 at Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church in Garrison.

Published on April 30, 2017