Obituary of Richard Edwin Gottschald

Richard (Dick) Edwin Gottschald, 66, of West Wabasha Street passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 15, 2001 in St. Mary's Medical Center after a lengthy illness. Dick was born on April 16, 1935, to Raleigh and Clydene (Rice) Gottschald. He grew up in Duluth, graduating from Central High School in 1953. Dick attended the University of Minnesota, Duluth, receiving a Bachelor's Degree in Communications and Speech Pathology. He also served in the Air National Guard for six years. Dick was known as a prominent television and radio pioneer in the Duluth area. He started his news broadcasting career with Cloquet radio station WKLK during college. He was also a co-founder of Duluth radio station KUMD. After graduation, Dick began working at WEBC and later was hired by WDIO, serving as the station's first News Director from 1965-1972. He served as news director and worked in news broadcasting for numerous television and radio stations including KBJR, WAKX, WDSM, KXMB (Bismark, N.D.) and WITI (Milwaukee, WI). Dick served as a past President of RTNDA, PACT Board, was actively involved in local politics, and was a business entrepreneur. He also taught television news broadcasting at Kansas State University. He was preceded in death by his parents. Dick is survived by his spouse, Kathy of Duluth; sons, Rick (Kathy) and Tom (Jennifer) both of Esko, Jim (Stephanie) and John Gottschald of Duluth, Bob Brody, Randy (Kim) Brody both of Duluth, and Dan (Kelly) Brody of Minneapolis; a daughter, Susan (Rob) Bushey of Duluth; six grandchildren; and his mother-in-law, Katherine Walsh of Cloquet. The family received friends from 5 to 7 PM Friday, November 16, 2001 in Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th St. in Cloquet. A memorial service was held at 2:00 PM Saturday, November 17, 2001 in Lakeside Baptist Church, 4501 Glenwood St., Duluth. Military Honors were accorded by the Duluth Honor Guard. Inurnment was in St. Francis Catholic Cemetery in Carlton. Arrangements entrusted to Northland Funeral Home, Cloquet