Richard H. “Rich” Witte, 79, St. Cloud

July 31, 1946 – January 19, 2026

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in St. Cloud for Richard H. “Rich” Witte, age 79, of St. Cloud, MN who passed away peacefully on Monday, January 19, 2026, at his home. Reverend Derek Wiechmann will officiate. Burial, with full military honors, will be held at Assumption Cemetery, St. Cloud, MN.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, January 26, 2026, at Daniel Funeral Home, St. Cloud, and from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service on Tuesday at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.
Rich was born on July 31, 1946, to John and Frances (Streitz) Witte in St. Cloud, Minnesota, the youngest of nine children. He grew up on the family farm in Luxemburg and attended St. Wendelin’s Grade School. After the loss of his father at a young age, Rich worked on the family farm to help support his mother.

In 1965, Rich was drafted into the United States Army and honorably served his country with the 243rd Field Service Company during the Vietnam War. While deployed, he became pen pals with the future love of his life and best friend, Cecilia M. Laudenbach. They were united in marriage on June 27, 1969, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in St. Cloud.

Rich was employed at the Sartell Paper Mill as a Paper Tester and retired after 27 years of dedicated service. He was a longtime member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, St. Cloud VFW Post 428, and Moose Lodge 1400.

Rich was a loving father and grandfather who treasured time with his family, especially his grandchildren. A true Jack of All Trades, he was always willing to lend a hand and had the ability to build or fix just about anything. He was an engineer and extremely intelligent man with an incredible memory for the things that mattered most to him. He will be remembered for his witty (sometimes inappropriate) sense of humor, his stubborn and resilient nature, and his fierce love for his family. Rich often said, “Without a sense of humor, tough is hard to live.”

Rich is survived by his children, Annette (Brandon) Witte-Nyberg, Dan (Angie) Witte, Jaci (Eric) Finneman, Dave (Mandy) Witte, and Leanne (Josh) Loy; grandchildren, Will, Luke, James, Andrew, Ethan, CeCe, Marissa, Henry, Amelia, and Jayna; siblings, Marian Fischer, Edward (Eileen) Witte, Leona Hibbard, and Ben Witte; sister-in-law, Clara Witte; his many loving in-laws from the Bill and Evelyn Laudenbach family; and numerous nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his beloved wife, Cecilia; siblings, Rita, Raymond, Bernadette, and Theresa Witte; brothers-in-law, Herman Fischer and Jack Hibbard; sister-in-law, Bernie Witte; and many dear family members and friends who have gone before him and now welcome him home.

The family welcomes memorials and stories about Rich.

A special thank you to the St. Cloud Police Department, the Stearns County Veteran’s Service Office, and the St. Cloud VA for their compassionate care of Rich.