Richard Kostuch Richard Kostuch

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Richard or Dick as we know him was born May 30, 1925.  He grew up with a large family of sisters and brothers.   Dick grew up and lived in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.  At 12 years old he started helping his father sell carrots at the farmers market.  When he was 19 he enrolled in the Navy and went to WWII as a teletype specialist; he was stationed on Kwajalein Island in the North Pacific Ocean.   When the war ended he was asked to stay in and offered higher ranks, but respectfully declined to come home and build houses with his dad.   That was the beginning of Dick's first passion...construction.   He has worked very hard his whole life and has passed down what he's learned from his father  to his son's, grandsons, great grandsons, friends and and everyone he could.  He is highly respected and loved by all who know him in the construction industry.  


Dick and his wife, Sharon have been married for 48 years.  He is the father of 8 children; Ken, Ed, Steve, Don, Dave, Mike, Missy and Monique.   Dick also has 22 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren and even a great-great grandchild.   Family has always been the most important thing to Dick and has taken great pride in his large family.   


Dick has been battling leukemia for almost 25 years.  In September of this year,  Dick fell ill to pneumonia and was hospitalized.   During his hospital stay he had the misfortune of having several small minor strokes.  At this time his chemotherapy pills couldn't be administered and the leukemia started breaking down his red blood cells.   We were informed there was nothing more we could do, and the best course of action would be to keep him comfortable.   The family decided bringing him home and surrounding him with family and love is what we needed to do.  We brought him home and have been keeping him as comfortable as possible as his days to his next journey approach.