Richard Neil Gronwick, 66, was born October 31, 1955 to John L. and Marilyn J. ( Mellema) Gronwick at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Illinois. He attended East Lyden High School in Franklin Park, Illinois. Richard joined the Town and Country Ambulance team in Franklin Park Fire Department in 1976. He later joined the United States Army in March of 1979 and retired in 1991.
Richard married Sharon Powell in Victorville, California on November 29, 1986, after 21 years they divorced. He then retired from the State of Kansas as a Corrections officer in 2006. Richard was an avid Chicago Bears, White Sox, Bulls, and Blackhawks fan, movie watcher, cinema scholar, and Lego enthusiast, he was also the best Papa to his two grandchildren, Brenton Powell and Annabel Hicks.
He is preceded in death by his beloved step-mother, Patricia Gronwick and niece, Brianna Howell.
Richard is survived by his father, John Gronwick; mother, Marilyn Gronwick; step-daughter, Terah Hicks ( Ronald); grandson, Brenton Powell; granddaughter, Annabel Hicks; brothers, Gary ( Lynn) and David ( Patrice) Gronwick; sister, Laura Gronwick; step-brothers, Jeff, Bryan ( Pamela), and David Howell; uncle, Roger ( Paulette) Gronwick, numerous nieces and nephews. All of them in his heart.
There will be a small service with Military honors at Fort Scott National Cemetery at a later date.