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MUENZER, RICHARD F. one of New Mexico's great champions for education, passed away on Friday, September 6th after a short illness. Dick was born in Toledo, OH on April 18, 1928. He pursued a degree in pre-law before joining the Army during the Korean War, where he earned the Bronze Service Star and the United Nations Service Medal while doing counterintelligence work. After military service, Dick completed college at Georgetown University and spent most of the next 30 years serving his country at home and abroad with the Department of Commerce, promoting and facilitating U.S. trade policy and American business. In 1967, he met and married Ofelia, the love of his life for 45 years. Upon retiring in 1986, Dick and Ofelia moved to Rio Rancho and embarked on a new life of community service. Dick was instrumental in the creation of both the Rio Rancho Public School district in 1994 and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in 2000 and served terms on both boards of education. He played a lead role in school bond campaigns and was a founder and president of the Rio Rancho Education Foundation. He also held numerous positions of leadership and engagement with the Democratic Party of New Mexico and the Sandoval County Democratic Party. Dick is survived by his wife Ofelia; daughter Angela; and many other family members and friends. Visitation will be held 5-7 PM Thursday, September 12th at Vista Verde Memorial Park, 4310 Sara Rd. SE, followed by recitation of the Rosary at 7:00 PM. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 1502 Sara Rd. SE in Rio Rancho, on Friday, September 13th at 10:30 AM. Pallbearers are Brian Colon, Hector Balderas, Rafael Colon, Reyes Balderas, Jim Cleveland and Matt DeAveiro. Honorary pallbearers will be James Cleveland, Royce Cleveland and Tim O'Neil-Dreher. Interment will follow at Vista Verde Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the Richard F. Muenzer Scholarship Fund, an endowment being established to provide college scholarships to worthy Rio Rancho scholars, at the Rio Rancho Education Foundation, P.O. Box 45030, Rio Rancho, NM 87174.
        Published on: Wed September 11, 2013