April 30, Richard Weiss passed away peacefully at his home in Becker, with his family by his side. Last December, Rich was diagnosed with a rare blood disease known as AL Amyloidosis. In spite of a valiant fight by Rich and his medical team, his organs were unable to recover and his body succumbed to the disease.

Rich was born in Essex County, New Jersey, to Elizabeth (Betty) and Clifford (Kip) Weiss, on October 28th, 1953. He grew up in New Jersey with older siblings Barbara and Jack. Rich delighted in reminiscing about his childhood, recalling fond memories of playing sports, traveling to NYC to watch the NY Knicks play, and his summer trips to the Jersey Shore where he would ride waves for hours. 

After high school, Rich attended Nichols College in Massachusetts’s where he played basketball, baseball, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business.  Following college, he moved to Fergus Falls, Minnesota, where he spent a short time working alongside his brother in the restaurant business. He married Laura Riviere, and began working for Johnson & Johnson. Rich and Laura had a daughter, Darcy, who was the light of his life. In 1980, Rich began working for Gallo Wineries located in Modesto, California. He served in various sales, management, and leadership roles for 36 years until his retirement in 2016. 

If you knew Rich, you knew he was passionate about living, and he brought that passion into all his relationships and interactions. He enjoyed the wine and spirits business, especially the opportunity to mentor others and develop long time friendships across the country. His passion for basketball was instilled in Darcy at a young age. He began coaching her youth basketball team, and after a divorce, he dedicated his free time to coaching and enjoying his time with Darcy. When the Timberwolves were established in 1989, Rich joined the first group of season ticket holders, and he remained a dedicated fan until his death. 

While Darcy was in high school, Rich met the woman who became the love of his life. In 2003, he married Nancy Helmer Weiss. He became stepdad to her children, John, Matthew, and Holly Dockendorf and Darcy gained some siblings. Rich and Nancy dedicated their life to successfully blending their family. Rich felt blessed to be able to experience having a larger family and he treasured his relationship with each of their children. 

Rich and Nancy loved many of the same activities. Some of their favorites were spending time with their family and friends, attending sporting events, golfing, traveling, music, theater, and authentic Italian food. After he retired, Rich also loved substitute teaching at Becker Middle School, where he developed positive relationships with the students and staff. He was a big supporter of student extracurricular activities in Becker and attended many events. 

Rich is survived by his wife, Nancy, daughter Darcy Jones (Seth) of Rogers, MN, stepson John Dockendorf (Megan) of Rogers, MN, stepson Matthew Dockendorf of Sartell, MN, stepdaughter Holly Dockendorf of Minneapolis, MN, and grandchildren Jack and Jade Jones and Adele and Henry Dockendorf. He will be missed by his siblings Barbara Kelly of Estero, FL, and brother Jack Weiss (Beth) of Plymouth, MN, as well as his nieces and nephews, mother-in law Judy Helmer, sister and brother-in-laws, and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Betty and Kip Weiss, father-in-law DuWayne Helmer, brother- in-law Gene Kelly, and nephew Kevin Kelly.

A memorial service for Rich will held on Thursday, May 9th, at The Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. The visitation will begin at noon followed by the service at 1 PM. A reception to celebrate Rich’s life will be held after the service in the lower level of the Basilica. In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials to The Basilica of St. Mary (www.mary.org).

Rich’s family would like to thank his Mayo medical team, the staff at the St. Cloud Hospital Dialysis Center, Dr. Alkhatib, Dawn DeMant and all the staff at Coborn’s Cancer Center. Your professionalism, care, and compassion will never be forgotten.