Obituary of Richard Alan Broek

Richard (Dick) A. Broek, 75, of Lake Orion, passed on after a valiant fight against cancer on December 19, 2023, surrounded by his family. He was born on March 23, 1948 in Muskegon, Michigan to the late Robert and Alice (Middlecamp) Broek. Dick attended and played offensive tackle for Reeths-Puffer High School (Muskegon, MI) and enjoyed playing softball as a young adult. He began his career working in paint system installation and eventually launched and managed his own company, Mechanical Systems Group, Inc. Dick successfully managed MSG for 14 years, making connections and friends everywhere he traveled. He loved being his own boss with a small, dependable crew. Dick maintained an excellent reputation and had many clients throughout the United States and Mexico until his retirement in 2016. During his retirement years, Dick and Judy enjoyed their love of traveling and vacationing throughout the United States and abroad, while spending winters in Florida. They enjoyed the beach, pools, and visiting the many friends they made over the years. Dick also enjoyed retirement with fishing trips to Alaska and Northern Canada, attending baseball games at Jimmy John’s Field, Motown music concerts, watching the freighters pass in Port Huron and spending time with family. Dick is survived by his wife, Judy (Hawes) of 53 years, his 2 daughters, Kimberly (Byrd) and Jodi (Colombe), and their spouses, David and Mike. He adored his 5 grandchildren: Alexander, Kyle, Evan, Mason and Avery. Dick loved cheering on his grandkids at their sporting events and hearing them play their instruments at band concerts. He rarely missed any of these events. Many times, he was also the “taxi service” for the grandkids, which often included a “bill” to the parents. Every time his daughters asked for help, he was there. At times, Dick was strong willed and stubborn, but he also had a big heart and great sense of humor. His contagious laugh will always be remembered. A celebration of life will be held at Dick and Judy’s home church, Oakwood Community (5791 Oakwood Rd, Ortonville, MI 48462) on December 27. The family will receive friends from 10:00-11:00am, with a service following at 11:00am. All are invited to a memorial luncheon immediately afterward. Donations in Dick’s name can be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital (stjude.org/memorial).