Richard Louis Scremo, age 79, passed away on January 31, 2025, in South Elgin, Illinois. Affectionately known as "Dick", he transitioned peacefully at his home, surrounded by his family, after a long and courageous battle with heart and kidney disease.

He is survived by his loving wife, Diane; daughters Kelly (Dean) and Jennifer (Chris); stepdaughter Pam (Chris); grandchildren Collin, Cole, Emilee (Eric), Austin (Ashley), Anna (Dan), Rob, Nick (Jamie), and Lexi; great-grandchildren Easton and Louie; and many other relatives and friends. Dick was preceded in death by his mother, Rose (Alfano); father, Louis; brother, Robert; and beloved nephew, Steve.

Growing up in Milwaukee, Dick helped his parents run their grocery store on North 3rd Street. With his brother being five years older and his mom working nights, he often spent summer evenings with his dad, watching Little League games, which sparked his love for baseball.

Dick's warmth and charisma were evident from an early age, and people often commented on his resemblance to James Dean. Sporting a similar look, he was, without a doubt, "too cool for school!"

A lifelong muscle car enthusiast, Dick had a particular fondness for Fords. He took great pride in his collection, which included a 1967 Mustang GT Fastback, a 1970 Torino GT, a 1974 Mustang Mach 1, and later a 2006 Mustang GT. All classics, just like him!

Dick graduated from Rufus King High School and went on to work for Wisconsin Lift Truck. He later moved to Illinois to help start up their partner company, Illinois Material Handling, where he worked for 48 years. Known for memorizing every part number for every operational part on every make and model forklift, his boss often said that Dick had more numbers in his head than the population of China—and he wasn't wrong!

While working in Illinois, Dick met Diane, and they married in 1993. They enjoyed traveling and were actively involved in the lives of their children and grandchildren. Dick loved horse racing and wasn't shy about letting everyone know that Secretariat was his favorite. In fact, we believe they had something in common as Secretariat was known for having a heart that weighed 2.5 times the size of a normal heart.

Dick loved playing baseball and bowling, but his true passion was golf. After retiring, he spent most of his free time on the course. His typical day began with a late breakfast and a 1:30 p.m. tee time. He earned bragging rights for his "hole in one" and low score of 77. Dick played rounds in Wisconsin, Illinois, South Carolina, California, Jamaica, and Aruba, to name just a few. He never missed a tee time—not even the day he passed. Time of death: 1:32 p.m. (we'll grant him two minutes for travel… "Well played, Dad! Well played!").

Together, we honor a life well-lived, as Dick will always be remembered with a Tanqueray in his hand and a big smile on his face. He made unforgettable and unbelievably accurate impressions of his brother Bobby (cue "Whaaaaat?") and his infectious laugh, generosity, and Italian spirit shone through until his last day.

With the sounds of Motown and classic country forever serving as the soundtrack of his life, may we continue to hear his voice sing in the quiet moments to follow (cue B17 "Mustang Sally").

On behalf of the Scremo family, we want to thank all who reached out during this difficult time. At this time, no memorial service is being planned. In lieu of gifts, donations to the USAGA or the Anderson Humane Wildlife Center would be greatly appreciated.