March 5, 2026 – West Bend, Wi – Richard Magill Koehler, 79, of West Bend, Wisconsin, passed away on February 28, 2026.
Richard will forever be missed by Claire Rolfs, with whom he shared his life and love for 45 years. Richard was predeceased by his parents, Helen T. Koehler and Joseph E. Koehler, and his sister, Jody Darling (Koehler). Richard’s nephew, William Scott Darling, and his wife Kelly who live in North Carolina.
“Rick” grew up in Milwaukee and attended Milwaukee Country Day School, graduating in their last class of 1964. He remained lifelong friends with many of his fellow classmates. He earned his bachelor of fine arts degree in 1968 from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.
Intrigued with amateur Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) auto racing, Rick drove open wheel cars in circuits around the Midwest. To support himself and his “hobby,” he photographed listings citywide for the MLS Listing Book for which he was paid a dollar a photo. With that experience and a part-time job at the Bath House Gallery for fine art photography, Rick developed a love and appreciation for the medium.
Meanwhile, Rick’s racing hobby turned into his profession when well-known designer Brooks Stevens hired him to drive for the Excalibur Racing Team in 1977; Rick drove Stevens’s elite cars in the SCCA and the Canadian Labatt’s Formula Atlantic series. When Stevens ended the racing enterprise in 1980, Rick returned to photography with a renewed focus on producing fine art.
In the mid-1980s, Rick and Claire moved to Oregon where they lived for the next 30-some years. They became tree farmers and enjoyed country life surrounded by ducks and dogs (Rick rescued 19 dogs over the years). River rafting replaced auto racing as one of Rick’s passions.
For the last several years, Rick and Claire have called West Bend home although he still looked forward to spending a few months every year at their home in Oregon.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on March 19, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Holy Angels Catholic Church in West Bend, Wisconsin. A reception will follow at 12:30 p.m. at the West Bend Country Club.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation in West Bend and University School of Milwaukee. Schmidt Funeral Home in West Bend is serving the family. If you would like to leave a message of comfort or share a message about Rick please visit www.schmidtfuneralhome.com.
