Richard "Rick" H. Wholey

Richard “Rick” Hardart Wholey, of Rockford, died on February 11, 2019 surrounded by loved ones. He was born in Wilmington, Delaware on May 30, 1948 to John and Elizabeth Wholey. He spent his formative years in Syracuse, New York and graduated from Christian Brothers Academy and Cornell University with a B.A. in Asian Studies. Rick entered the Air Force and was sent to the Defense Language Institute where he honed his Mandarin Chinese skills. During his Air Force service, he served posts in Thailand and at the National Security Agency (“NSA”). He obtained his M.B.A. from Syracuse University and spent the majority of his career working in international business with Rockford Products, making frequent trips to Asia.
Rick’s passions and talents included learning and using languages, running, biking, reading, and comics. He was a lifelong runner, starting with his days as a collegiate athlete and continuing through his ever-steady 3-mile runs into his late 60s. Rick’s love of the Chinese language was used during his work travels and during retirement, when he taught community education classes. He will be fondly remembered by family and friends for his intelligence, his quick wit (he never forgot a joke), and especially his gentle spirit. Rick’s role as father and “Grampy” provided him immense pride and joy.
He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Marilyn; children, Anna (Nathan) Mundy and Christine (Casey) Haas; grandchildren, Jack, Grace, Benjamin, and Annelise and a baby to arrive in July; and many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his son Ricky in 1992 and his parents.
Visitation will be held on Friday, February 15 from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, 1860 S. Mulford Rd., Rockford. A funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 16 at Holy Family Catholic Church, 4401 Highcrest Rd., Rockford. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorials be sent to The Sandra J Schulze American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, 411 2nd St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901. Express condolences online at www.fitzgeraldfh.com.