Shelgren, Sr., Richard Eric
Richard Eric Shelgren Sr. (“Dick”, “Swede”, and “Grumps”) was born on September 2, 1927 in Buffalo, New York, to Olaf William and Doris Potter Shelgren.
He was 94 years old, residing at Belmont Village Senior Living Center in Glenview, IL., when he passed away on Wednesday, April 13th, 2022, at 5:30 AM. Richard is survived by his wife Lois Shelgren and her two children, Laura Anne Haave and Alan David Stuart. He is also survived by his first wife Mary Ann Shelgren and five children, Richard Eric Jr., Mark Charles, Christopher Bjorn, Kathryn Ann, and Barbara Ann. Richard is also survived by 19 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.
Richard lived a very full and active life. He was a multi-sport athlete in high school and graduated from the University of Buffalo. His first job after college was with the Erie Lackawanna Railroad. This was the beginning of a career of working in IT systems for various railroad companies including the Association of American Railroads and TTX (formerly Trailer Train). Richard was a pioneer introducing IT systems and automation in the railroad industries, starting by implementing systems relying on “punch cards”, long before there were fast small computers that fit in our hand.
Richard was active in his children’s lives, coaching team after team after team, being a Boy Scout leader, organizing monthly family camping adventures through his child-raising years, “pushing” his children to graduate from college, and financing their education.
He completed the Boston, New York, and Chicago marathons, and competed in multiple other longdistance events. He was an avid tennis player, sailor, snow skier, and birding enthusiast. He skippered multiple entries in the famous “Mackinac” race from Chicago to Michigan and won the overall trophy as a crew member on Ace’s Wild (his friend’s boat). He left a drawer full of resort ski racing medals and taught numerous friends and family to ski.
He was a gentle, thoughtful, kind, loving man who truly lived his life on his terms, caring more about others than himself. If asked to describe his life, he would say with a smile, “I did it my way”.
A private family memorial service will be held. Donations in his memory may be made to his
beloved Wisconsin bird watching sanctuary, the DoorCountyLandTrust.org, where he vacationed every year.
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