Richard M. Benzkofer, age 77, died unexpectedly on Aug. 20, 2018, in Austin, Minn., from a heart attack.Dick was a gentle, compassionate, selfless, and patient soul who cherished family, and at its heart, his wife of 53 years, Peggy. His love for her and their marriage remains an inspiration. Dick’s immediate family gathered every year for RickFest, a week of laughing, loving, 4×400 relay races, 500, tennis, puzzles, Four Square, and epic water fights (of which he was an eager participant) to remember and honor and mourn his son, Rick, who was killed in 1987 at the age of 18 in a car accident.

Dick relished exploring new places, from Port Aransas, Texas, to Grand Marais, Minnesota, as well as new ideas, whether found at a state fair or an art museum, an orchestra hall or an arboretum. He had a lifelong love of rock ’n’ roll.  Dick was the longtime finance director of the City of Austin, serving the city from 1972 to 1996. In 1985, under Dick’s leadership, the City for the first time earned the Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, which encourages local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles in the spirit of transparency and good government. The City of Austin has won the award every year since. Later he was honored with a lifetime membership to the Minnesota Society of CPAs. After Dick left his employment with the city, he worked for a number of years at Scanlon, Nietz & Murch LLC in Dodge Center, Minnesota. Since retiring, he whole-heartedly volunteered his services as treasurer for The Friends of the Austin Public Library and the Paramount Theater (now the Austin Area Commission for the Arts). Earlier in his career, Dick worked as an auditor for the State of Iowa. His first job in Austin was with the CPA firm then known as Bowlby, Anfinson and Co.

Dick was born December 2, 1940 on a farm outside Milford, Iowa, the son of Edward and Denise (Aldred) Benzkofer.  He attended St. Joseph Parish grade school and Milford High School, graduating with a degree in accounting from what was then Mankato State University, “the Harvard of Midwest,” he liked noting.

One of Dick’s enduring gifts to his family will be its own history. Dick tirelessly researched the Benzkofer and Aldred family trees, traveling to cemeteries and churches and courthouses and reaching out to potential relatives across the Midwest and in Germany. He would have loved the family gathering caused by his passing.

In addition to his wife, Peggy (Smith) Benzkofer, Dick is survived by daughter Rachel (Tim) Guire of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, son Stephan (Marjorie) Benzkofer of Oak Park, Illinois, daughter Sara Benzkofer of St. Paul, Minnesota; grandchildren Megan and Diana Guire, and Samuel and Audrey Benzkofer; brothers Alan (Liz) Benzkofer of Mankato, Minnesota, and Philip (Carolyn) Benzkofer of Dingman’s Ferry, Pennsylvania, and his sister Diane Williams of Cherokee, Iowa.  In addition to his son Richard M. Benzkofer II, he is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Robert Benzkofer.

Dick Benzkofer—husband, dad, grandpa, brother, and friend—will be missed fiercely and forever.

Visitation will be held from 10:00-11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 25, 2018 at St. Edward’s Catholic Church, 2000 W. Oakland Avenue in Austin, Minnesota.  A funeral mass will follow at 11 a.m. at the church with Father James Steffes officiating.  Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery in Austin.

In lieu of flowers, the Benzkofer family suggests that memorials in Richard’s honor be directed to the Austin Area Foundation, P.O. Box 6, Austin, MN 55912, in care of The Friends of the Library.  Please consider jotting down a few remembrances of your own life or that of your parents and grandparents for future genealogists—which may very well be you.  Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.