Eileen (Puphal) Richards, 86, of Tucson, AZ, formerly of Merrill, WI, took her Lord & Savior’s hand entering eternal life on July 30th, 2025.Eileen passed peacefully at home with her loving husband of 67 years, Walter, by her side.
Eileen was born on September 9th, 1938 in Merrill. She grew up on a farm on Joe Snow Road in the Town of Scott. In 1956 she graduated from MSHS. Soon after met the love of her life Walter Richards and got married on November 30th, 1957. They had their son, James, in November of 1959.
The couple enjoyed cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and good ol’ country and western music. Eileen worked for Merrill Cleaners but decided to go back to school. After graduating from NTC, Eileen started in 1986 at Church Mutual Insurance Company and retired in 2000. In 2004 the couple moved to Tucson, AZ. Eileen enjoyed visiting family in WI in the summertime. Eileen loved receiving videos and pictures of her great-granddaughter, Piper. Seeing that little girl's smile filled her heart with so much joy. Eileen will be fondly remembered as a gracious, kind-hearted, soft-spoken woman. Eileen loved playing Mahjong or sitting admiring the computer screen saver of photos of family and friends.
Eileen is loved and dearly missed by her husband, Walter, son, James, granddaughter Bobbie Jo (Daniel) van der Westhuizen, great granddaughter, Piper, siblings, Sally Boyd, Vicki Drost, Rueben (Darlene) Puphal, Jean Robl, many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. Eileen is preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Bernice (Liesman) Puphal, siblings John, Roger, LaVern, James, Henry II, Duane, and Gloria Trzebiatowski.
A private family celebration of life will be held at a later TBD date with inurnment in Merrill Memorial Park.
