Richard (Dick) Bolender was the Mayor of the City of Oak Creek, WI for 9 years. During his time as Mayor he was instrumental in many redevelopment projects including the 85-acre former Delphi site, opening the lakefront area for public access, facilitating Bucyrus International headquarters (now Caterpillar) moving to Oak Creek and recruiting redevelopment along South Howell Avenue including Woodman's Grocery Store. He was a 1962 graduate of South Milwaukee High School; a 1966 graduate of UW-Whitewater; a member of the United States Air Force stationed at the 440th Air Force Reserve Unit in Milwaukee. He and his wife Christine (Keyes SMHS 1963) were married for 45 years, had two children and 6 grandchildren. Dick passed away suddenly on December 10, 2011 at his home in Oak Creek. He was 68 years old at the time of his death.