Richard Martinelli

SUN PRAIRIE/MONONA - Richard Joseph Martinelli passed away peacefully on April 30, 2026, at the age of 86, at Prairie Gardens Assisted Living in Sun Prairie, Wis. He was born on May 3, 1939, to Joseph and Minnie Martinelli. He was their first child, and the first grandchild born into the large Madison Martinelli family. He was very proud of his Italian heritage and even visited Isolaccia, Italy, the small village his grandparents emigrated from in the early 1900s, and spent time with distant relatives.

Dick attended Holy Redeemer Elementary School and Edgewood High School. While playing baseball for Edgewood, he made many lifelong friends as he refined his famous "rocking chair motion" pitching style, which his children often asked him to perform. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite powerful enough to impress the scouts when he tried out for the Kansas City Athletics in 1955. In high school, he met his sweetheart, Joan Brockman, whom he married on June 14, 1958, in the gym at Immaculate Heart of Mary. They raised five children in Monona, Wis., and were married for 64 years until Joan’s passing in 2023.

Early in their marriage, Dick worked for Findorff in Madison, and then went on to a successful career with the Butter Company as a salesman and, ultimately, a sales manager. He was also a U.S. Marine Reservist for six years and was proud of his military service. During his time at Butter, Dick and Joan were fortunate to go on annual sales meetings in the Caribbean and caught a serious travel bug. Much later, they shared that love of travel with their adult children and visited New Zealand, Tahiti, Italy, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean. Their last trip was a week in Aruba with the entire family, grandkids and all, for their 50th wedding anniversary.

Dick and Joan were immensely proud of their grandchildren, and enjoyed attending their grandkids’ school functions, concerts, and sporting events to cheer them on. They attended Brewers games with as much of the family as possible, complete with tailgating in the parking lot. They traveled to every high school, college, and medical school graduation for each of their grandkids, traveling to Iowa, South Carolina, Florida, New Mexico, Georgia, and New York. They enjoyed being "snowbirds" and wintered for many years in Florida and Arizona.

Dick was an avid reader and enjoyed watching the Brewers, Cubs, Packers, and Badgers at every opportunity. He was always ready to chase down a Friday night fish fry and conducted a lifelong quest for the best barbecue ribs. He will be greatly missed by his family.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents; his younger brother, John; his wife, Joan; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is survived by his four sons, Steve (Cindy), Dave (Barb), Ron (Tish), and Chuck (Angie); daughter, Lori; 12 grandchildren, Cori, Joe (Angie Hendrickson), Andrea, Tony, Cassandra (Chris) Anderson, Ashley (Owen) Titus, Alex, Andy, Evan Behrens, Abby (Jarod) Felgenhauer, Josh Knipfer, and Jake (Caitlin) Knipfer; and six great-grandchildren, Calli, Cam, Micah, Oliver, Finn, and Robin. He is also survived by his two sisters, Cindy (Bob) Leggett and Terri Martinelli; as well as many other extended family members.

The family would like to express their gratitude to Prairie Gardens Assisted Living in Sun Prairie and Bristol Hospice for their wonderful care of Dad these past few years. Their gentle care will forever be appreciated.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bristol Hospice, 206 E. Olin Ave., Suite 101 Madison, WI  53713.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH, 5101 Schofield St., Monona, at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. Burial and graveside military honors will follow at Highland Memory Gardens in Cottage Grove. A visitation will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Monday, May 11, 2026, and also at the church from 10:30 a.m. until the time of the Mass on Tuesday.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420