Richard W. Niemiec, 86, of Wooster, Ohio, passed away on Mother’s Day, May 10, 2026, at Apostolic Christian Home in Rittman, Ohio, after a long battle with Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM). He was born on Mother’s Day, May 14, 1939, in Carrollton, Ohio, to William F. Niemiec and Helen Niemiec, creating a fitting and tender bookend to his life.
On October 23, 1965, Richard married his beloved wife, Ruth (Warth) Niemiec, with whom he shared 60 years of marriage. Together, they built a life centered on family, faith, service, and the quiet routines of a long and devoted partnership.
Richard was a parishioner of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Wooster.
Richard was a 1957 graduate of Carrollton High School and went on to graduate from Ohio University, later completing postgraduate work at the University of Akron. He entered the broker training program with Prescott, Merrill, Turben & Co. in 1972 and received his NYSE Registration in January 1973. His career in finance spanned 47 years, most of it with Prescott and its successor firms, before he retired in 2019 from Niemiec Adams Wealth Management, the Wooster branch of Stifel, Nicolaus & Company.
For Richard, investing was both a profession and a lifelong interest. He often said he had no “job,” because he was fortunate to spend his career doing something he truly enjoyed. He was known for a conservative, long-term investment philosophy and for putting his clients’ interests first.
Richard was also a familiar voice and trusted source of financial information in the community for decades. He provided a daily Wall Street report to local radio stations, including WQKT, and was a contributing writer to The Daily Record’s “Dollars & Sense” column, sharing timely investment updates and practical financial insight.
Richard was active in the Wooster community throughout his life. In 1969, he became one of the founding members of the Wayne County Junior Achievement program, where he served for more than 50 years. He also served as President and Director of the Wooster Jaycees, as a Director of the Wooster Kiwanis Club, and as a forum leader for the Wayne County Investors Forum. In 1975, he was included in the Outstanding Young Men of America publication.
A lifelong learner, Richard was always looking for ways to better himself. He enjoyed reading, traveling with his family, Cleveland baseball, bowling, sports card collecting, and the companionship of miniature schnauzers.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth (Warth) Niemiec; his children, Ryan (Stacy) Niemiec and Robyn Spigelmire; his grandchildren, Eric Spigelmire, Jordan Niemiec, MacKenzie Niemiec, and Richard Spigelmire; and his niece, Kristy (Gene) Galentine.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William F. and Helen Niemiec; his sister, Janice Haak; his brother, Robert Niemiec; his sister-in-law, Norma Niemiec; his niece, Pamela Yeager; and his nephew, Chad Niemiec.
Visitation will be held Monday, May 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 527 Beall Avenue, Wooster, Ohio. Mass will follow at 11:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Richard W. & Ruth C. Niemiec Scholarship through Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio. Donations may be made either online at JAofNCO.ja.org/donate/index or by check mailed to Junior Achievement of NCO, 4353 Executive Circle NW, Canton, OH 44718. Checks should be made payable to Junior Achievement of NCO. Please note on your payment, either online or by check, that the donation is for the Niemiec Scholarship.
McIntire, Bradham & Sleek Funeral Home, 216 E. Larwill St., Wooster is assisting the family.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.mcintirebradhamsleek.com
Ruth and family: I am sad to be reading this,I first met Dick (as we knew him by) when he was employed as an engineer at Rubbermaid ,Inc..We had many good arguments with him when he was doing a time study on machine operators and then telling us how to do it ! The operators had fun bickering with him.lol. When he became a financial consulted I went to him when we wanted to invest and stayed with him for many years until he was close to retirement. He did well by me.I still remember him telling me “Linda,just remember it’s only paper!” when I would question a stock going down .lol Rest easy in your Heavenly Home Dick !
I’m in the unique position to tell folks who read this, I talked to Dick Niemic every day for 27 years. And never met him. My name is Dave Dial and I was the voice on your radio from 2-6 PM all those years. Dick did a stock report that I recorded. I can tell you this was the most courteous, professional, patient man that I had ever come across in my life. And torrential. He would NEVER .. NEVER .. “forget” to do it or .. decided to “mope” his way through it because he had a bad day .. or even MISPRONOUNCE a word or a stock. He was *STUNNING* .. *STUNNING* in his delivery of exactly the facts. And I do no mean exactly. Dick Niemic .. was an amazing, truly incredible man of manners and of humor and of work ethic. I can’t give you a perspective others who have written here can. What I can tell you is that for 27 years of working with him, we never had a cross word with each other. That should tell you all you need to know about Dick Niemic. As a young man, it seemed to me his knowledge was .. unending. As a middle age man, I would listen to him and think, “I’m a professional broadcaster and I couldn’t do what he just did. To speak about such technical issues, with intensely intricate words, and .. never make a mistake in the delivery.” This was a man … one in a million. I can’t say he was my friend because that would be not be the facts. And Dick taught me, over those 27 years, how to deliver the facts, unshaded, with no agenda and correct. America was a stronger nation when people who told you what happened that day just the facts. He was a financial broadcasting titan and legend in Northeast Ohio. And that’s a fact.
My condolences to Dick’s family. He was a good and honest man that loved his profession and his community. His conservative investment style and unusual patience rewarded his long and faithful clients a very steady and admirable return on their investments under his watch. He will be missed.
My condolences to Dick’s family. He was a good and honest man that loved his profession and his community. His conservative investment style and unusual patience rewarded his long and faithful clients a very steady and admirable return on their investments under his watch. He will be missed.
I can attest to the impact Dick’s involvement with Jr. Achievement had on my life. I ( and 2 of my sisters) were in JA in high school. We all were JA scholarship winners, and two of us took that experience into our careers. I was the first full time JA Program Director in Wayne Co.back in the 1980’s, an opportunity created because Dick served on the JA Board and knew how that program developed leadership skills in teens. I did have the chance to thanks him on occasions when I would see him at church. I’m so thankful for the impact of his service in our community.