Richard "Dick" Beetsch

Richard “Dick” Allen Beetsch, 87, of Red Wing, died Saturday, July 17, 2021, at St. Crispin Living Community. He was born in Mankato on July 15, 1934, to George and Elizabeth Beetsch. He graduated from Mankato High School in 1952 and then attended Iowa Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa) on a scholarship. He was a three-sport athlete for all four years and was later inducted in the UNI Athletic Hall of Fame. It was there that he met Barbara Weinhardt and they were married August 13, 1957, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Red Wing. He served in the US Army and the Army Reserve for several years. He began his History and Phy-ed teaching career, along with coaching basketball, at Long Prairie, Kasson and Windom High Schools. While at Windom, he took his team to the 1966 state basketball tournament.

He and Barb moved to Red Wing in 1967, where he taught and coached basketball at Red Wing High School for over 30 years. Over the years he had many successful basketball seasons, including successive trips to the state tournament in 1971 and 1972. He was inducted into the Minnesota State High School League Coaching Hall of Fame in 1997. For a few summers, he and his family ran the Colvill Park Marina, where he could be relied on to deliver the morning paper and give boaters a lift into town. He was a long-time member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. He continued his involvement in sports long into his retirement by refereeing high school football games and umpiring baseball and softball games. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Dick is survived by his wife, Barb; two children, Bradley Beetsch of Minneapolis and Jennifer (Mark) Ohm of St. Paul; two granddaughters, Rebecca Ohm of Nashville and Eliza Ohm of St. Paul, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by five brothers and two sisters.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 28, 2021, at Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 27 at the funeral home and for one hour prior to the service.   Memorials are preferred to the Summer Food Service Program.   Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.