Friday, February 13th, around 5 p.m., the Guild lost founder member Dick Brecheisen. Dick has been in poor health for several years but did not let that stop him from being an active Guild member. He was a kind soul with a ready smile and always wanting something to do. That something was primarily grab bags, but he also made buildings and lighthouses using plastic canvas and yarn. He cut the yarn and wove it onto the canvas pieces creating many interesting buildings. Being a knowledgeable electrician, he wired them with lights.

Over their 50 years as Guild members, Dick and Veneda held several board positions. Dick built the electric boxes and cords we use each year at our show and for many years Dick could be seen manning the saw to cut geodes for the kids with Veneda nearby selling grab bags. (This is when the show was held at a mall such as Villa Italia or Lakeside.)
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Richard "Dick" Brecheisen was born November 25, 1925 in Sturgis, Michigan. He met Veneda in Colorado and they married November 18, 1951. They have lived next door, for many years, to their friends and founder members, Cathy and Luke Westervelt. Luke chose Dick as one of the 13 people who founded the Denver Gem and Mineral Guild in 1964.

Dick was an avid rock hound. He and Veneda traveled the state and country collecting minerals. Dick helped out every year at the Guild show when it was at Villa Italia Mall and Lakeside Mall. His specialty was cutting geodes in the big saw,

Failing health kept Dick from the meetings the past 10 years or so, but that didn't stop him from being a huge help to the Guild. If you bought one of the grab bags at the Guild show, think of Dick. He put each one of those specimens and labels in the tiny bags.

Dick passed away on February 13th, 2015. He has joined his beloved Veneda.

by Marjorie Payne, Guild Historian