Richard O. Brander, 71, died March 13, 2020, at Centennial Gardens in Crystal.

He was born July 21, 1948, in Duluth.

Richard served in Vietnam as a cook. He was a U.S. Army Specialist 4 for at least three years. He returned from Vietnam and lived in Esko throughout the 1970s.

A big Elvis fan, Richard liked reading and watching Westerns, especially shows such as “Gunsmoke” and “The High Chaparral.” He loved wildlife and being outdoors, and was an avid fisherman. He enjoyed taking trips but lived modestly. If he could afford something, he would try his best to help you, often reaching out to others to offer a helping hand any way he could. After his mother died, Richard moved to Camp Ripley, then to Staples, and then to Wadena. He worked as a janitor in Wadena, and as a chef in Lutsen. He never married.

Richard was preceded in death by his grandparents Elizabeth and Andrew Ollila; mother, Sylvia Ollila Brander Maier; father, Walter Brander; brother Robert Brander; and numerous cousins.

He is survived by his brother Andrew Maier of Hawley; sister, Joyce Layon of Kettle River; sister-in-law, Cheryl Brander of Cloquet; cousins Barb Koopman of Cloquet and Martha Tate of Virginia; and several nieces and nephews.

Service: Gravesite services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27 at St. Matthews Cemetery in Esko. Anyone who would like to remember Richard is welcome to join the family at the graveside.

Pine Knot News. Aug. 21, 2020