Final Salute

Richard C. Jorgensen, age 76, of Omaha, NE (formerly of Schaller, IA) died Friday, October 31, 2025 at Hillcrest Cottages in Papillion, NE.

Memorial Mass will take place Monday, November 17, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Storm Lake. Burial will be in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Schaller, Iowa. Visitation will take place Sunday, November 16, 2025 from 4-6:00 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in STORM LAKE. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your local foodbank or favorite Veteran’s cause. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements.

Richard Craig Jorgensen was born October 9, 1949 in Storm Lake, IA to Richard E. (Jug) and Jane (Watson) Jorgensen. He graduated from Storm Lake High School in 1967 and then spent one year at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, IA. Rich served his country by enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1968. He was a member of the Seabees – Construction Battalion. He was active for four years in the US and did one tour in Vietnam at Chu Lai, specifically Naval Support Activity Danang. The battalion repaired and reconstructed bridges, upgraded and maintained roads, constructed facilities to support aircraft based at Chu Lai. Rich was honorably discharged in 1972 and moved back to Iowa.

On May 5, 1973, Rich married Barb Grundmeier at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Schaller, IA. They welcomed children Cari, Nicholas and Chris. Rich worked at Hygrade in Storm Lake and Newell Implement before returning to his heavy construction roots from the Navy by working for Godbersen-Smith Construction and GOMACO in Ida Grove, IA. He spent 35 years with them retiring in 2018.

Outside of work, Rich was active in the Lions Club, VFW as a Commander and member of the Hup-To squad. He was a Schaller City Councilman and also served on the Sac City Veteran’s Monument Committee in their successful mission to get a monument built in Sac City. He unofficially loved Halloween jump scares and being the “training dummy” for Schaller Pool lifeguards!

Rich enjoyed boating and water skiing – always wanted to be the first one to ski every spring and last one out in the fall! He got his pilot’s license and took the family to fly-in breakfasts across the Midwest. He and Barb also enjoyed traveling the country, sometimes delivering GOMACO trolley cars to cities across the US. He never met a greasy spoon he didn’t like and often joked about writing a book detailing every restaurant in Iowa. He loved reading and getting coffee or breakfast with the boys. He was a huge Hawkeye fan and loved tailgating in Iowa City. Once his granddaughters started sports, he also became a huge fan of gymnastics, diving and swimming and traveled to many meets (and concession stands) in many states.

Rich is survived by his wife, Barb Jorgensen of Omaha, NE; children: Cari (Kyle) Fulcher of Omaha, NE; Chris Jorgensen of Kansas City, MO; sister: Ann (Gary) Hunter of Omaha, NE; Scott Jorgensen of West Plains, MO; granddaughters: Ellie and Emily Fulcher of Omaha, NE; sisters-in-law: Ann and Carol Grundmeier of Storm Lake, IA; brother-in-law: Dennis (Sharmin) Grundmeier of Pleasant Hill, IA; extended family and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his son, Nicholas; parents: Richard and Jane Jorgensen; and parents-in-law: Art and Arlene Grundmeier.

There will be a Memorial gathering in Omaha on November 22, 2025 from 11:30am-1:30pm at Addy’s in Elkhorn.

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