Racine, WI Driving Directions. Richard Trehus was a man of great character and integrity who, by way of example, was selfless in all he did. He encouraged, inspired and supported the family he held most dear, and with ways all his own. He believed hard work and effort went a long way, yet he knew the value of enjoying life.
Richard lived each day as a blessing devoted and ever loving to those entrusted to his care. The year saw difficult days as the Great Depression created a jobless rate of nearly four million.
Solum Trehus. Sadly, two of his siblings, Vernon and Harris died in infancy. He and his siblings wore hand-me-downs and sometimes their clothing was barely adequate for the cold walk to the one-room schoolhouse they attended in Freeburg, Minnesota. Like many children who lived on farms, chores and farm work were a part of everyday life. From taking care of the livestock and milking the cows to planting and harvesting crops, Richard left his schooling behind after the eighth grade to help his father.
Even though he only had eight years of formal education, Richard was a lifetime learner. Richard not only helped his father with farm work, but they also did other jobs such as custom threshing, sawing wood, painting and whatever work was available to help supplement their farm income.
Despite these lean years, Richard enjoyed many adventures. After a long work week, he loved to go dancing and rarely missed any of the dances held in the area. Following World War II the economy was still recovering and dances were a major form entertainment during this time. Throughout his long life, Richard came to own at least 16 of them.
