Richard was born March 4, 1947, in Rugby, ND, to Vincent and Elizabeth (Merck) Schaan. He attended school in Balta and graduated from Assumption Abbey in Richardton, ND, in 1965. After graduation, Richard joined the Marine Corp, serving one year in Vietnam. After being honorably discharged, he attended Mayville State University where he earned a degree in education and coaching. On August 16, 1969, Richard and Sandra Peterson were united in marriage in Balta, ND. Richard taught in Balta, then he and Sandy moved to Hays, MT, and Lincoln, MT, where he taught for several years before returning to North Dakota. In 1991, they moved to Langdon where they ran the Crossroads restaurant and were involved in running the Stables restaurant. They moved away from Langdon but returned in 2005 when they retired to be closer to family.
Richard enjoyed collecting trinkets, reading, music, sports cards, and was an avid sports fan. He thoroughly enjoyed watching and rooting for the Green Bay Packers, New York Yankees, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Richard also enjoyed keeping up with the activities of his kids and grandkids. He was a member of the Knight of Columbus and American Legion.
Surviving Richard are his wife, Sandra, of Langdon; children: Collette (Jason) Schwabe of Thompson, ND, Angie (Dirk) Nicolai of New Prague, MN, Ryan Schaan of Grand Canyon, AZ, and Ricky (Bridget) Schaan of Thornton, CO; ten grandchildren; one great-grandchild and one on the way; siblings: Roland, Reynold (Debbie), Charlotte (David) Brandt, Randall, Robert, Vincent, Kenneth (Mana Rae); and his beloved dog, Fritzy. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Romaine, and sisters Collette and Marie.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at St. Alphonsus Church in Langdon, ND. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, October 14, 2024, at Brooks Funeral Home in Langdon and for one hour prior to service time at the church on Tuesday.