Richard Henry Ulmer

Richard Henry “Dick” Ulmer, age 87, passed away in Milwaukee, WI, on June 24, 2024. He was born in Chicago, IL, on November 11, 1936, the son of the late Margaret and Edward Ulmer.

He is preceded in death by his parents; his older brother, Edward “Bud” Ulmer; and his younger sister, Margaret “Mary” Scheiber. He is survived by his wife, Edith “Jane” (Synar) Ulmer; his daughters, Mary Ellen Ulmer (John Cowles) and Betty Jane Ulmer (Pedro Colón); and his grandchildren: Sophia Cowles, Lily Colón, Gregory Cowles, and Julia Colón.

Richard grew up on the south side of Chicago and attended the Little Flower Parish Elementary School. He attended Ignatius High School and Xavier University in Cincinnati on scholarship as a Classics major. Following college, he returned to Chicago to attend Loyola Medical School.

He met his wife, Jane, while they were completing their training, he in internal medicine and cardiology and she in dietetics, at the University of Chicago. On November 28, 1963, Richard married Jane in Chicago on Thanksgiving day. Upon completion of his fellowship, Richard became an Army physician, stationed in Fort Campbell, KY, and then Savannah, GA. Following his military service, Richard and Jane moved to Marshfield, WI, where he began his career as a cardiologist at the Marshfield Clinic until his retirement in 1997. He was passionate about providing superior care to his patients, even for non-cardiac problems, and about getting to know them and their families.

He was elected to serve as the President of the State Medical Society of Wisconsin (“SMSW”) from 1996-1997 and was awarded the SMSW Director Award in 1999. He was also active in the American Medical Association (“AMA”). Richard firmly believed that doctors knew more about their patients and what constituted good medical care than business people, insurers, or legislators, and advocated for his patients and physician autonomy through his work with the AMA and SMSW.

He was a strong supporter of education, serving on the Board of St. John’s Catholic School. During retirement, he and Jane tutored students in the Tucson Public Schools. They also supported and contributed to the establishment of the Imago Dei Middle School in Tucson, AZ. Always believing that a liberal arts education prepared young people to be leaders, he was a major force in his daughters’ choices of small liberal arts colleges for their post-secondary education and pushed them to learn to read, think critically, and write clearly, as he did.

Dick also loved reading history and politics, talking old school liberal politics, reading the NYT, enjoying bourbon, wine, and good food in the company of good friends and family. He and Jane maintained friendships for decades through life changes and moves across the country.

Memorial Services will be held at the Forest Home Cemetery Chapel located at 2405 W. Forest Home Avenue, Milwaukee, WI, 53215 at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, July 27th, 2024.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Marshfield Public Library, 105 S. Maple St., Marshfield, WI (https://marshfieldlibrary.org/about/foundation.php), Imago Dei Middle School, 55 N. 6th St., Tucson, AZ 85701 (https://www.imagodeischool.org/support/) or National Public Radio (https://www.npr.org/donations/support).