Richard Greenwood

Greenwood, Richard B.

Born 1941 in Sydney, Ohio. Passed away quietly after a day with family on May 25, 2024, worn down by several years of worsening dementia. Preceded in death by wife, Carol, and parents, Lloyd and Ruth. Survived by children; David (Anne), and Rebecca (Thom) Foss; grandchildren, Khiara, Lukas, Zachary; half sister Marlynn and nephew Scott, and two beloved cats.

Rick loved spending time with his family and pets and being outdoors. His passion and enjoyment for the natural world connected him with his wife of 48 years and led to his involvement in many environmental and civic activities and organizations. In his early childhood he caught salamanders and bicycled with his dog, Penny. In his late teens, he learned to water ski and drag race. He then had 6 years in the navy, four of them on a submarine, honing his skills with electronics. In his adulthood he used those skills to build his own television and multiple computers, while still keeping outdoor activities central to his life. 

He got his pilot's license, sailed, canoed, and cross-country skied. He volunteered to assist with Girl Scout camping trips and spent many years with his son in Y-Guides and Boy Scouts. He welcomed a multitude of pets into his home and set up many bird and squirrel feeders. A skilled HVAC technician, he assisted with the solar installation on a local community center. As an avid canoer, he did river cleanups with Friends of the Mississippi. He was a 52-year resident of the Seward Neighborhood, and enthusiastically volunteered to create and lead neighborhood workshops on composting, worm bins and rain barrels; he worked with Carol at the Kings Fair, at Earth Day celebrations, and on raising neighborhood awareness of available free and low-cost energy efficient programs. He spent years canoeing the St. Croix River, with his last canoe adventure at the age of 80.

A celebration of Rick's life will be held Monday, July 1st at BRADSHAW, 3131 Minnehaha Ave S., Minneapolis with a gathering of friends, family and food, beginning at 5 PM, and a service starting at 7 PM.

His ashes will be interred alongside his wife's at a later date.

Memorials to the Seward Neighborhood Group, the Raptor Rehab Center or Friends of the Mississippi would be welcome.