Richard M. Dubiel

Richard M. Dubiel, a retired professor of communication at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point who was a lifelong outdoorsman with a love for philosophy and ethics, died on November 23, 2022. He was 79 years old.

Best known among his UWSP colleagues for his care and concern for students and his wickedly humorous observations on academic life, Dubiel joined the UWSP faculty as an assistant professor with specialties in advertising and public relations in 1985.

He retired as a full professor in 2015, having served almost 30 years as advisor to the nationally acclaimed UWSP chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America and for several years as secretary-treasurer of the National Communication Association’s Communication Ethics Division.

A winner of several awards for scholarship, teaching, and service during his three decades at UWSP, he received a bachelor’s degree in English from Pennsylvania State University, a master’s in English from Purdue University, and a doctorate from Purdue in English and philosophy. He also completed an intensive program in business at New York University for doctoral recipients in the humanities, as well as graduate coursework and research in religion and literature at Drew University.

He taught freshman and sophomore English at Hughesville High School in Pennsylvania from 1964 to 1965 and was chair of the Department of English at Central Catholic High School in Lafayette, Indiana, from 1978 to 1982.

He is survived by his partner of 16 years, Kathy Freitag; her children Amy and Daniel Freitag; his mother, Adeline Dubiel; a sister and brother-in-law, Nancy and Jim Campanile; and nephew Anthony Campanile. He was preceded in death by his father, Walter Dubiel.

Visitation will be held at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, at Zion Lutheran Church, 709 N 6th Street, Wausau. The funeral service will be at 11:00 AM, and Reverend Steven Gjerde will preside. All friends, colleagues, and others are invited. A luncheon will follow the funeral service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to Zion Lutheran Church in Wausau and Aspirus Comfort Care of Wausau are appreciated.

Special thanks go to the staff of Woodland Elder Services in Merrill, Aspirus Comfort Care, and the friends of Bill W.