Richard "Richie" Papa, 77, Wausau, died Friday, September 24, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital due to the COVID Delta virus. He was born April 12, 1944, in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Steve and Helen (nee Dawiedczyk) Papa. He moved to Wausau during childhood and graduated from Wausau High School in 1963 and trained on computers with NCR, working and maintaining the mainframe computer at Johnson & Johnson in Racine. He served in the National Guard, obtaining the designation of Sharp Shooter. He returned to Wausau, making his home in Rib Mountain, working for area businesses including Award Floor, Fiskars, and others. On June 30, 1984, he married Lois LaFontaine and the two spent their years together working on their gardens and home, enjoying the dogs and cats they loved dearly, and spending time with family and friends. Rich particularly loved flying ultra-light airplanes with his buddies and spent many years as a local musician, playing guitar. Rich was a tinkerer of electronic devices of all kinds, taking them apart and sometimes putting them back together. He often had a project in progress on the coffee table, where the animals would come to inspect his work. Survivors include his wife Lois, Wausau; Mother Helen, Wausau; daughter Shay Helie of New Hampshire; and son Jason Papa Richie of California; stepdaughter Holly (Chris) Voll of Kronenwetter; stepson Jeff (Jodi) Hirsch of Appleton; grandchildren Christopher and Hayley Hirsch; and Jessica and Heather Voll; stepdaughter Kim Evans of Arizona; his sister Mary Jean 'Jeannie' Butalla of Marathon, and brother Stephan Papa of Denver, Colorado; and nieces, nephews and other family members. He was preceded in death by his father Steve Papa, brother-in-law Bob Butalla, and sister-in-law Patty Prevost-Papa. Cremation services are provided by John J. Buettgen Funeral Home and Mid Wisconsin Cremation Society of Schofield. There will be no funeral during this sad time of the Covid global pandemic. Burial will be at a later time in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Stetsonville, Wisconsin.