Richard 'Coach' Rosenfield

Richard Julius Rosenfield, 89, of Onaga, died Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at the Eastridge Nursing Facility in Centralia.
He was born August 28, 1922 in Junction City, the son of Joseph and Blanche Wickline Rosenfield. He was the second of three brothers and one sister.
After high school in Junction City he attended the University of Kansas and graduated with a degree in education in 1947. While at KU he met and married Wanda Lee Dumler, and together they moved to Onaga where he took his first teaching job. Coach Rosenfield taught biology, chemistry and photography while coaching football, track and various other sports. He later became the Athletic Director and held that position until his retirement.
When he was not teaching or coaching he managed the Onaga City Pool each summer and worked in the Onaga Post Office. He was a dedicated member of the American Legion, the VFW, and PT Boats Inc., having served as a PT boat crewman in the South Pacific during World War II. He was also an active member of the Navy Amateur Radio Club and enjoyed talking to friends daily all over the U.S. and the world. Over the years he would travel to visit his radio “buddies,” including good friend, Betty Victorine, in North Carolina, and many wonderful friends in Florida. He was a longtime member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Onaga.
As a member of the Topeka Jayhawk Club, he greatly enjoyed supporting KU football, KU basketball, and the KU Relays. He took many friends and family to football games at Memorial Stadium through the years. In addition, he would never back down from a spirited debate about the Jayhawk/Wildcat rivalry. Rock Chalk!!!!
Other hobbies Coach enjoyed included building and flying remote control airplanes, photography and playing cribbage with friends each morning at the local café and at Eastridge.
One of his proudest moments was having the Rosenfield Sports Complex in Onaga named in his honor, and having so many friends, former students, and athletes come back to celebrate with him.
Coach was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, who died November 22, 1975, his son Robby, who died in 1980, two brothers, Joe Rosenfield and Robert Rosenfield, and one sister, Inga Rosenfield.
Survivors include his daughter, Becky Householder, Lawrence, three granddaughters, Tabbatha and Melissa Householder, of Lawrence, and Amanda Parker and husband Michael, of Shawnee, four nephews, and many great-nieces and -nephews.
Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, February 25th at the Onaga High School Gymnasium. Burial with military honors will follow in the Onaga Cemetery. Coach will lie in state after 9:00 a.m. Friday at the Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Onaga where family and friends will meet from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Memorials are suggested to Community Hospital, Onaga or the KU Endowment Association, and may be sent in care of the funeral home, P.O. Box 312, Onaga, 66521. Online condolences may be made at chapeloaksfuneralhome.com

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