WalzCraft owner, Richard Walz, dies at 68

WalzCraft, a manufacturer of wood components and accessories in La Crosse, Wis., announces the passing of owner Richard (Dick) Walz, 68, on Nov. 6.

“Dick fought a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease and passed away peacefully at his Onalaska, Wis. home, surrounded by his loved ones, the company said in a statement.

“Always in tune with the industry, Dick often told the staff at WalzCraft, ‘If we listen to our customers, they will take us where we need to go’. He embraced that concept, repeated it often to his Team Members, and with that shared vision worked shoulder to shoulder with them to build WalzCraft into the business it is today.

“Dick was born on October 4, 1954, and was raised on a family farm in Glen Haven, Wis. There, he developed a strong work ethic, learned the value of hard work, and began a lifelong passion for woodworking. Dick graduated from Western Technical College (1973) and started his own construction company. In 1982 he started his manufacturing journey at Cabinet Factory Inc. (later renamed WalzCraft) and became the majority owner in 1987. Dick had a passion for providing customers with high-quality products, and a variety of choices. He loved improving a process to give guaranteed results and talking at length with Team Members to make these improvements. Those close to Dick would describe him as an incredible man and a visionary leader who was dedicated to his family and his work at WalzCraft.”