Richard Daniel Mueller

Richard was born on May 7, 1928 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the youngest of three children born to August and Flora Mueller. His two older siblings were Tom Mueller and Betty Jane (Talbot). As a youth, Richard attended St. Sebastian parochial school in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He then attended University of Wisconsin and trained in the U.S.A.F. Cadet Academy from 1953-1955. In 1956, he earned a B.S. degree in special inter-departmental studies. In 1957, he took a solo road journey to Alaska. He arrived in Fairbanks, where he got a job as a land examiner with the BLM. Through BLM's employee benefit program, he purchased a small tract of land and built a cabin. In 1960, Richard married Jerry Maye Wright. They welcomed their first daughter, Gretchen, into the world in 1961. That same year, Richard earned his commercial single-engine pilot's license and purchased a Piper Cub airplane that would carry him and other travelers on Alaskan fishing and hunting trips. In 1963, the Alaska Division of Land (ADL) hired Richard, and the Mueller family moved from Fairbanks to Anchorage. Later that year, the Mueller's second daughter, Katrina was born. In 1964, Richard purchased a 40-acre tract of land outside of McKinley National Park and later developed it into a campground, complete with wood-framed tents, outhouses, and campfire pits. He and his family eventually spent many weekends and summers there. In 1965, after learning that his employer was about to auction off a substantial amount of land rightfully belonging to Alaskan Natives, Richard informed the media. Ensuing media stories resulted in millions of acres being claimed by and awarded to Native Alaskan tribes. It was one of the largest land settlements in U.S. history at the time. The media firestorm also resulted in Richard losing his job, yet he never regretted acting on behalf of the rightful owners of the land. In 1970, after living in Wisconsin for a year, Richard and his family returned to Alaska. He became a real estate agent and retired from that occupation in 1985. He and Jerry then moved to Wenatchee, Washington to be closer to their daughter, Gretchen, and their grandson, Marlon. Richard was a loving father, husband, and grandfather. He was also a relentless adventurer, outdoorsman, and advocate for Native Alaskan land rights. Most recently, he was an author. In 2013, he published "Alaska On My Mind", a reflection of his Alaskan adventures and his role in fostering rightful, significant land claims by Native Alaskans. Richard died on May 13, 2016, at Wenatchee, WA in Colonial Vista Care Center. Survived by his daughters, Gretchen (Chris) Stark, East Wenatchee, and Katrina Pappas, Marana, AZ; grandson, Marlon Keating, Redmond, and 21 nieces and nephews residing in Wisconsin, Texas, Arizona, and California, survive him. A Memorial Mass will be, Saturday, June 4, 2016, 10:00am at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Wenatchee, WA. You are invited to view his online guestbook at www.HeritageMemorialChapel.com . Arrangements are assisted by Heritage Memorial Chapel, East Wenatchee.

Richard Daniel Mueller

May 7, 1928 - May 13, 2016