Richard F. Shay

Richard Francis Shay

~ In Loving Memory ~

April 4, 1937 – July 6, 2026

Richard Francis Shay, 89, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, passed away on July 6, 2026, after a battle with lung cancer.

A lifelong resident of La Crosse and a man of deep and steady faith, Richard was known for a sharp wit and an endless rotation of dad jokes — delivered with a straight face and received with the occasional groan.

Richard was born on April 4, 1937, in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the son of Francis Joseph Shay and Isabel Lucy (Rattel) Shay. He was baptized at St. James Church, attended St. James Catholic School — where he served as an altar boy — and graduated from Aquinas High School in 1953. As a boy, he was an enthusiastic baseball player.

After high school, Richard enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he was a member of the Entertainment Corps. He later spent many years behind the microphone as a radio DJ, working at stations around the area including WKBH in La Crosse.

A devout Catholic, Richard found comfort throughout his life in his church and in the rosary. He was a member of St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral in La Crosse.

Richard is survived by his children and their families: Danny (Patrick) and his daughter, Carissa; Brian (Patty) and their children, Josh and Zabrina; Julia and her child, Shayne; Jeremy (Shontel) and their children, Dathaniel, Carter, Isabelle, Gracie, and Preston; Andy (Megan) and their son, Ayden; Mark (Lindsey) and their children, Conner, Margaret, and Molly; Dennis (Randi) and their son, Teddy; Christa (George) and their children, Ian, Christian, and Mackenzie; and Maria, Barbara, and Thomas. He is also survived by his first great-grandchild, Bryson, child of Carter.

He is further survived by his children's mother, Kathleen; his brothers, Patrick and Scott; his sister, Mary; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Isabel; his sisters, Barbara, Rosalee, and Phyllis; and his brother, James Shay.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the Radiation and Medical Oncology teams at Emplify Health (Gundersen Health System) for their compassionate care, and to Richard's rosary group at St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral, who indulged his bad dad jokes and sustained him in his faith through his final years.

Services will be held Wednesday, July 22, 2026, beginning with a visitation at 9:00 a.m. at St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral in La Crosse. A funeral service will follow at 10:00 a.m. A luncheon will immediately follow the ceremony at the church. Interment will be at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, County Highway B, La Crosse, after the luncheon.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Richard's memory may be directed to St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral.