Richard (Coach) Eugene Elrite

Richard (Coach) Eugene ElRite, born October 16, 1929 and passed June 13, 2019 was the youngest of 10 children born to George and Anna (Cook) Elrite in Browns Valley, MN. After graduating from Beardsley MN high school in 1948, Richard joined the USMC, serving for four years and honorably discharged in 1952. He then went on to be the first of his siblings to attend college, graduating in 1957 from Moorhead State College. He returned to his hometown of Beardsley MN to teach and coach for 6 years. During that time he met and married Rosemarie Ludowese in 1958. To that union were born 5 children; Kelly (John) fox, Mark Melissa (Larry) Skendzel, Jason (Kim) and Justin. He truly enjoyed teaching and coaching, moving on to Lakota, ND for 2 years and then accepting a position with MTU in Houghton MI in 1965 and retiring after 23 years in 1988. During his tenure at MTU, he received awards of NIC Coach of the Years 1975-76; Professor Emeritus 1988; Outstanding Service Award as IM Director for 23 years (1965- 1988); and the MTU Sports Hall of Fame. After retirement, he and Rosi relocated to So. CA.