Richard L. Wree's Obituary
Richard Louis Wree of Lakeland, Fla. passed away Monday in the warmth of his home due to heart and lung complications.
He leaves his wife Jane, two sons, Nathan (Danielle) and Aaron (Jolene), four grandchildren, Braden, Lincoln, Hudson, and Everly, his father George, one brother, Ron (Cathy), and two sisters, Janet and Dawn (Ed), two loving dogs Gordie and Casey, many close friends and extended family.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia on November 25th, 1949 to George and Edna Wree, he was a Michigan man at heart. His family moved to Michigan shortly after he was born and that is where he planted the seeds of his own family and lived for 30 years before bouncing around between Missouri, New Mexico, Michigan again, and finally down to Lakeland, Florida, his home for the last 20 years.
Ric was a sports fan and family man. He loved his Detroit sports teams, Al Kaline, Gordie Howe, Ernie Harwell, and so many others who provided entertainment, conversation, laughs, tears, inspiration, and motivation for our family for years and years. He loved to go to sporting events with family and friends, coach his kids’ team, and and play catch in the backyard.
He spent his youth in Willis, Michigan graduating from Lincoln High School in 1967 and attending Eastern Michigan University graduating with a master’s degree in Biology. On December 18th, 1971 he married the love of his life, Jane Walton. They had their first child, Nathan, in November of 1974 and completed their family with their 2nd son Aaron in December of 1977.
Richard put his degree to use becoming a chemical salesman for many years before retiring and bought his own business in 1999. He and Jane owned Schoolhouse Inc. in Lakeland, Florida which sold educational supplies both to individuals and school districts in the central Florida area. In 2008, he officially retired. At this point heart issues were limiting his load and he decided to fill his time with family, friends, and recreational activities, living the good life for the rest of his days.
He loved his dogs, he loved his golf, he loved his Tigers. In making Lakeland his home he was officially living in Tigertown. He brought his dogs home in 2006 and finally moved into a golf community in 2018.
On April 15th at 2:15 in the morning Richard said goodbye. A visitation will be held from 5-7pm on Wednesday, April 17th at Gentry-Morrison Funeral Homes, Serenity Gardens Chapel in Lakeland. Private Funeral services will be held on Friday.
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