Richard “Rick” Neil McCluhan, age 50, of Mankato died Friday, February 1, 2008 at his home of natural causes.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 5, 2008, at SS. Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church. Visitation is 4 to 8 p.m., Monday at Woodland Hills Funeral Home, and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church.

Rick was born April 18, 1957 in Sioux City, IA to Neil and Angela (Camarda) McCluhan. He attended MSUM, receiving a BS in Business Administration 1979. On March 26, 1983 Rick married Joni Rae Rosin in Mankato.

He was active in numerous organizations including: State of Minnesota Executive Compensation Council; MN Association of Rehabilitation Providers; North Mankato Civic & Commerce Association; SCTC Foundation Board; MSUM/Business Advisory Council; American Cancer Society; Nicollet County Historical Society; VIDC Labor Market Task Force; Southern MN Rehabilitation Group; Blue Earth County Financial Assistance Task Force; Blue Earth Center for Enterprise Facilitation; Mankato Airport Commission; Mankato Symphony Orchestra; MN Extension Service; Welfare to Work Partnership; The Initiative Fund-Regional Partner; Region 9 Child Care Resource and Referral-Grant Review Committee; Displaced Homemakers Advisory Council; North Mankato Rotary Club.

Rick ran for the MN legislature as a Republican in 1996, and again as a Reform Party candidate in 1998. He was elected as the Chairman of the Reform Party of MN in 1999, overseeing the transition to the Independence Party of MN.

He owned: Express Personnel Services of Mankato a full-service employment staffing firm, providing a full range of human resources related services; and Richard McCluhan & Associates a private vocational consulting/placement firm.

Rick cherished time with family and friends. He loved animals, enjoyed politics and being outdoors.

He is survived by his wife, Joni of Mankato; 3 sons, Neil, Anthony, and Joseph all of Mankato; his mother, Angela McCluhan of Park Rapids, 1 brother, John (Shirley) McCluhan, of St. Paul; 6 sisters, Mary Labrasca of Fargo, ND, Leah (Tim) Pigatti of Park Rapids, Barb (Ron) Baker of Andover, Kelly (Richard) Buchholz of Holdingford, Joan (Dewey) Zuhlsdorf of Winnebago. 7 nephews & 7 nieces, 5 great-nephews, and 3 great-nieces. He was preceded in death by his father, Neil R. McCluhan and nephews Mark and Erich Buchholz.