Richard Bernard “Rich” Moriarty, age 76, of Berlin, died peacefully on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at Barrett House in Ripon.
He was born April 19, 1949, in Berlin, WI, the son of Bernard and Elaine Baker Moriarty. Rich was a 1967 graduate of Berlin High School and earned an associate’s degree in diesel mechanics at Moraine Park Technical College. On October 19, 1968, at 19 years old, he was united in marriage to the love of his life, Karen Steeps, at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Berlin.
As a young boy, Richard spent many summer days on his grandpa Rhinard Baker’s farm near Pine Bluff, just east of Neshkoro. Enjoying everything about the life of farming from spring planting, to fall threshing. Richard was raised in the family business, Moriarty Refrigeration, helping his dad install milk coolers on local dairy farms. It was this time spent on farms that developed his love and appreciation of farming and farmers.
Richard enjoyed working with his hands and working on anything mechanical. At 18 years old, he bought the Metzig Blacksmith building (now Malchetske’s Liquor) in downtown Berlin, and there he worked on the milk trucks that hauled to Alto Dairy, dump trucks that moved material for local sand companies and on tractors for local farmers. Important influencers on Richard in those days, were Bernie Rodencal, Bob Krause, Milt Spoehr, Ray Verheyen, Sam Verheyen, Pete Ceman and Ben Seaman.
In addition to doing repair work, Richard always had some sort of used farm equipment for sale on top of the hill in Berlin, across from Huser Implement. In 1970, he bought land north of Berlin on Highway 49 in order to build a new building and have the equipment he was selling on the same property. This would become the R&M Motors business that most would know Richard for. Over time, selling used farm equipment grew into also selling new equipment and providing parts and service for many manufacturers including Deutz Fahr, Massey Ferguson, Hesston, Mustang, Great Plains, J&M, Simplicity, Honda and Yamaha.
Often Richard was asked where the R&M Motors name came from…who’s your partner? Other than his wife Karen, who worked with him from the beginning, he had no business partner. Rather, it was a conversation after high school graduation that established the name…the conversation when Richard let his dad know that he wanted to go on his own, to do his own thing. It was then that his dad told him not to name his new business anything to do with the family name, because he wasn’t going to succeed. Maybe he was hurt that Richard didn’t choose to stay in the family business, or maybe it was meant as an added boost of motivation to go out and make it for himself. Richard simply chose his initials R&M, for his new business name…and he and Karen made it…for 58 years!
Richard didn’t have many hobbies. His job was his life, and everything about it he loved. He loved his customers, he loved being able to help them solve their problems and speed up drying their hay with a Deutz Rotary Rake. Rich’s favorite time of the year was county fair time. He could be found at his display of equipment, at the tractor pull, or at the livestock auction. He was well known as the announcer at many truck and tractor pulls in the area and would keep the crowd entertained with his vast knowledge of details on the truck or tractor being pulled…and the person pulling it. Once his grandkids came, however, they took over Richard’s heart. Anything that the grandkids were in to, grandpa was interested in. Not too surprisingly, most of their interests paralleled his own.
Rich was an Alderman for the City of Berlin for eight years, a charter and active member of Berlin River Riders Snowmobile Club, Midwest Equipment Dealers Association, Berlin Lions Club and St. James Catholic Church in Neshkoro.
He is survived by his wife, Karen; sons, Patrick (Lisa) Moriarty and Jon (Amy) Moriarty; grandchildren, Evan (Stephanie), Brayden (Morgan), Blair (significant other, Jordan Tlachac), Sydney (fiancé, Bryan Hargrave), Alec and Avery; great-grandchildren, Brayleigh and Mya; and brother, Bob Moriarty. Rich was preceded in death by his parents.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, April 11, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., at St. James Catholic Church in Neshkoro. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., with Monsignor James L. Gunn and Father Dale Grubba officiating. Inurnment will be in Oakwood Cemetery. Arrangements have been entrusted to Barbola Funeral Chapel in Berlin. Memorials may be directed to St. James Catholic Church. Anyone wishing to send a sympathy card to the family, please mail to Richard Moriarty, c/o Barbola Funeral Chapel, PO Box 201, Berlin, WI 54923. Online condolences may be sent to the family at barbolafc@yahoo.com.
