Age: 83
BRILL, Richard F.
Paw Paw
Richard F. Brill (83) Elm Street, Paw Paw passed away Sunday afternoon, Dec. 15, 2013 in Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. He was born September 10, 1930 in Blue Island, Illinois to Harold and Hildegard Brill of Chicago. His family moved to Paw Paw in 1944, where his parents owned the Gateway Inn restaurant west of town for 28 years. He was a 1948 graduate of Paw Paw High School, and then served in the US Air Force during the Korean War. After his service Dick attended and graduated from Western Michigan University and was soon hired by Paw Paw Public Schools where he would be employed for the next 30 years. During his tenure at Paw Paw Schools he served as a teacher, transportation director, and principal. In the summers he worked as a driver training teacher, Paw Paw Village police officer, and Van Buren County marine patrol officer. In 1954 Dick married Margo Wade of Paw Paw, and together they had nine children. He continued to further his education with graduate work in educational leadership at Michigan State University and history at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks (which he traveled to by car with his wife and seven children all under eleven years of age). Dick enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, motorcycling (through 48 states), sailing, and was an avid golfer and lover of dogs. He was preceded in death by his wife Margo (Wade) Brill, parents Harold and Hildegard Brill of (Lake Cora) Paw Paw, MI, and brother Charles Brill of Ionia, MI. He is survived by his sister Deanna (Robert) Hindenach of Paw Paw, Ml, and brother Arthur (Mary) Brill of Kalamazoo, MI, his nine children Rick (Nova) Brill of Decatur, MI, Victoria Brill of Seattle, WA, Betsy (Mike) Price of Grand Rapids, MI, Steve (Cindy) Brill of Placitas, NM, Rebecca (Dan) McNamee of Schaumburg, IL, Kathy Beyer of Toledo, OH, Skott (Nicole) Brill of Frostburg, MA, Dan (Becky) Brill of Orlando, FL, and Chris (Caitlin) Brill of Paw Paw, MI, seventeen grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. To a loving brother, father, and grandfather - thank you for not taking your love with you, we will take good care of it. Family will receive friends Wednesday, (12/18) 2:30 to 3: 30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, Paw Paw where funeral services will be held following visitation at 3:30 p.m. with Rev. Eric Gledhill officiating. Interment will follow in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Paw Paw. Memorial contributions may be made to SPCA of Southwest Michigan (Animal Rescue).