Richard J. Spannbauer

Age 69, of Mahtomedi, passed away peacefully March 5, 2024.

Dick was born on March 9, 1954, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He was the second of seven children. He has been a life-long resident of the Maplewood/North Saint Paul/Mahtomedi areas. He attended Saint Peter’s Catholic School, Hill High School, and graduated from Hill-Murray High School. 

He was active in hockey from an early age. His high school hockey team won the state championship in 1972. He was one of Herb Brooks’ first recruits at the University of Minnesota. His team went on to win the NCAA championship in 1974. After college, he played a couple of years of on a minor league hockey in Utica, New York, Hampton, Virginia, and Greensboro, North Carolina.

He married Judy Killmer in 1974 and together they have three children: Luke, Noah, and Lora.

After hockey, he fell in love with carpentry and started a small framing business, built custom homes, and was the best at finishing and trim work. He retired from commercial constructions in 2016.

Dick loved coaching his kids’ boys and girls hockey teams. He was the assistant coach for the 1991 Hill-Murray high school hockey state championship team.

He and Judy bought a cabin near Nisswa, Minnesota, in 1980, which they enjoyed with their family during the summer months. During his retirement, he built an addition to the cabin on his own to make room for his grandchildren.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Joyce. He will be sadly missed by wife, Judy; children, Luke (Cecilia), Noah and Lora (Colin) Riley; grandchildren, Colin, Evelyn, Brayden, Colton, Leighton and Lincoln; siblings, Joe (Ginger), Dave (Tina), Joyce Ann (Gregg) Falkenstein, Kathy Nguyen, Marty (Jodi) and Eva (Donald) Lubke; many nieces, nephews, other family and friends.

He was loved and will be missed by many.

A celebration of Dick's life will be Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Visitation will begin at 3:00 P.M. with a service to follow at Bradshaw, 2800 Curve Crest Boulevard, Stillwater.