Richard 'Dutch' Vanwyngeeren

Richard ‘Dutch’ VanWyngeeren, 70, of Brainerd, passed away peacefully on February 2, 2024. A celebration of life will be held at the Confidence Learning Center on April 27, 2024. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Confidence Learning Center: www.campconfidence.com/give

Richard was born to Ryner and Dolores VanWyngeeren on September 5, 1953. He married Marsha Reed on January 17, 1976. 

Dutch worked hard his whole life and owned multiple businesses in the Brainerd Lakes Area, the last one being Crow Wing Recycling. He loved racing dirt track in the 70s, then raced vintage stock cars in the 2000s and could be found at the track supporting his son in law race ARCA.  He enjoyed camping with Marsha and their grandsons, including an annual trip up to the Crane Lake area with extended family. He could often be found at the football field and the hockey rink where he loved watching his grandsons compete.  Dutch and Marsha enjoyed getting away to Florida for their winters and loved having friends and family visit them there. Dutch enjoyed tinkering and was a builder of scrap metal art, always creating something fun and unique to give as gifts. Dutch put on thousands of miles on his Harley, both on solo rides and with his Florida friends. He was a longtime board member for Confidence Learning Center and dearly loved their mission. Those that knew and loved Dutch will miss his unique way of greeting people, his great sense of humor and his words of wisdom.

Dutch is survived by his wife Marsha, children Dinah Mullins (Willie) of Virginia and Grant (Stephanie) of Brainerd, three grandsons Arend, Frederik, and Reed, his brothers Rodney Vanwyngeeren and Mark Hemingway (Jane), sisters Cheryl Johnson (Mark), Diane Kuiper (Ron) and Marcia Jensen (Kevin), and parents Jerry Hemingway and Barb VanWyngeeren. 

He is preceded in death by his parents Ryner VanWyngeeren and Dolores Hemingway. 

Arrangements are entrusted to Brenny Family Funeral Chapel, Baxter.