Richard "Dick" Johannesen

Richard “Dick” Johannesen, age 87, of Platteville, Wis., formerly of Viola, Wis., retired quality control engineer, died May 27, 2021. Dick was born to Finn and Ruth Johannesen on March 22, 1934, in the Vernon County Hospital. He grew up in La Farge. Following an Army term, he attended UW-Platteville. On November 16, 1957, he married Darlene Marie Heal, of Viola, in Dubuque, Iowa. They immediately moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, during which time he worked as a lab technician at Proctor and Gamble. They returned to the Kickapoo Valley to be near family, residing in Viola for decades before relocating to Platteville after the Great Flood of 2018. He and Darlene were very happily married for 64 years. Dick was a very capable guy, interested in many things, and he mastered them all. He grew up in family farming, stock yard, and grocery businesses in La Farge. He became a Viola businessman, with ownership interests in the [then] Mobil station and the local machine shop (tool and die). He later joined a good friend in heavy construction, dredging on Lake Superior. He briefly practiced as a licensed personnel and business insurer before becoming a quality control engineer for the Badger Ordinance munitions plant in Baraboo during the Vietnam War. At Merkle-Korff Industries in Richland Center, he retired as a quality control manager after 23 years, where he also contributed several patented devices to improve production. He served as Viola’s mayor, leading the community during one of its biggest crises: The March tornado of 2000. He was a long-term member of Viola’s United Methodist Church. Dick is survived by his wife Darlene; daughter, Rhonda Johannesen (husband, Kevin Hagopian) of State College, PA; son, Eric Johannesen (wife, Mary) of Livingston, WI; and their two sons, Nick of Lyons, WI, and Casey (wife, Rhianna) of Cary, NC. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother James, and his sister Mary. Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, June 2, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. at Vosseteig-Larson Funeral Home in Viroqua. Visitation will be held from 12:30 p.m. until the time of service. Burial will follow in the Viola Cemetery with full military honors. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Lung Association Online condolences may be made at www.vossfh.com. Vosseteig-Larson Funeral Home is serving Richard's family. 123 W. Decker Street Viroqua, WI 54665 (608) 637-2100