Richard "Dick" O. Trager was born in Philadelphia, PA on April 18, 1929 to Martha (Bigalke) Trager and Oskar Trager (both of whom were born in Germany). And almost 95 years later, he transitioned peacefully from his earthly home at Lofland Park Center in Seaford, De, to his eternal home with Jesus on February 18, 2024.

At age 2, Richard, his 1-year-old sister, Hildegard, and his parents moved back to Berlin, Germany, where he and his sister were raised. He later attended a trade school, and then joined a military Naval Academy. But the war interrupted his plans. The children and youth were temporarily moved out of harm's way about 100 kilometers away. When the war ended, he made his way home to Berlin, where he started his apprenticeship in his grandfather's plumbing and heating shop. About a year later, he returned to the states and worked as a bus boy at Linton's Restaurant in Phili to earn his keep. He wanted to give back to this country (USA), and so with a heart to serve, he attempted to enlist in the US Navy. But because of the language barrier, he was told he needed to take the next year to learn English before he could try again. Determined to serve, he promptly left that recruitment office and went next door to check out the US Army as an option. They accepted him right then at the tender age of 18. He completed basic training with the 82nd Airborne, Fort Bragg N.C. He served in Okinawa, returned to the states and then when the North Korean Army invaded the south, he was shipped out with the 2nd Infantry Division, 9th Regimental Combat Team, DOG - Company Heavy weapons, arriving in Pusan, Korea.  His outfit was involved in three Major Battles with the North Korean and Chinese armies.

After his discharge as Staff Sergeant in 1952 and having received the Combat Infantry Badge, Japanese Occupation, U S Defense, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, United Nations Service Medal, Korean Service Medal w/3 Bronze Stars, he went to work at the Newark Chrysler Plant, working on the Patton - 48 Tank and in 1953 started his plumbing & heating apprenticeship with Charles S. Reskovitz in Wilmington. In 1958, he became employed by the Home Mechanical Contractors, later becoming C&D Contractors, both of which were owned and run by the McDaniel families, (William H. McDaniel Jr. & Sr, and later Kathy McDaniel, Bill Jr's daughter). Dick supervised the mechanical work for schools, hospitals, churches, libraries, apartment complexes and several MBNA buildings to name a few. After about 50 years, he retired from C&D April 18th 2008 at age 79.

Richard met Margot Scheidt, his wife to be, in his mom's & step-dad's (Eugene Kachelmus), delicatessen, (Dautel's, in Elsmere), and he recalled that the moment he saw her smile, he said, "I'm going to marry that girl." And so, on March 20, 1955, they married at Zion Lutheran Church in Wilmington, DE, where they became members. They moved into their own home in Oak Hill, Wilmington, DE, shortly thereafter where they raised their daughter and son, and where they resided for 60 years of their marriage, before moving downstate to be closer to their kids.

Since 1954, he was a member of the Delaware Saengerbund, a German club in Ogletown, DE., was instrumental in the construction of the Bauern Stube, (a converted pig barn to a German 'tap' room), and later, the new hall. In 1968, he and his wife, Margot, decided to learn the traditional German dances and did so through the guidance of dear friends of the GVT Edelweiss dance group in Reading (PA). Richard and Margot, and 3 other couples, then started the Enzian Volkstanzgruppe, a kind of German folk dancing involving knee slapping, shoe clapping and figure dancing, as done in the Bavarian Alps, Austria and Switzerland still today. Their dedication to both the dance group and the club touched many lives and both continue to thrive today. They were honored at the dance group's 50 anniversary in 2018.

Richard later learned of the Korean War Veterans Association, and because the Korean people were dear to him, he joined KWV Captain Paul N. Dill, Chapter # 2 Department of Delaware, and became a member of their honor guard, supporting this association for many years. While still living in Wilmington, he also volunteered several days a week, for many years at the Elsmere VA Hospital.

Richard was preceded in death by his wife Margot, his parents and siblings, and is survived by his daughter Christel Grandell and her husband Paul, of Frankford, DE; son Juergen Trager and his wife Jennifer, of Dagsboro, DE; his three grandchildren Eric Rodriguez, Ryan Trager and Christina Trager; 2 great-grandchildren Braelyn Trager and Elijah Rodriguez, and his sister-in-law Ushi Moerke of Berlin, Germany, as well as nieces, nephews and cousins both in the states and Germany. He loved the Lord and would often acknowledge that "the Lord's been good to me", even in his final days.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Mariners Bethel Church, 81 Central Ave., Ocean View, DE, Saturday, March 2, 2024 with visitation from 10-11:30 A.M. and service to begin at 11:30 A.M. Interment will be held on Monday, April 1, 2024 at 1:00 P.M. at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear, DE.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Korean War Vets Association, Korean War Veterans Association, PO Box 407, Charleston, IL 61920; the Wilmington VA Medical Center, 1601 Kirkwood Hwy, Wilmington, DE 19805, or to the Delaware Saengerbund, (memo line to reflect Culture Committee/Walsee Program), where youth are educated in the German language, traditions, culture and music. Please send those to DSB, 49 Salem Church Road, Newark, DE 19713.

(Details pre-written by Richard "Dick" Trager).