Richard Orlich

September 27, 1936 - December 10, 2021

1936-2021 Richard (Rick) P. Orlich passed on to a greater life on December 10, 2021. Richard was born on September 27, 1936 to Rode and Antonia Orlich in Wakefield, Michigan and graduated from Wakefield High School in 1954. He moved to Milwaukee where he attended Beauty College and opened two Franz Beauty Salons in the Fox Point area. He and his brothers opened up the Balkan Lounge in Milwaukee and started a tamburitzza band that played for many weddings and parties. In 1973 he moved to New Mexico where he and Tony Moya opened Casa de Pizza, the first pizza restaurant in Belen and later another in Los Lunas, New Mexico. Richard did everything with a flair and he loved to cook, entertain, travel and play bingo. He brought many happy memories to family and friends with his upside down accordion playing. He will be missed by a host of many friends and family who meant a lot to him. He is preceded in death by his parents, Rode Orlich and Antonia Orlich; four brothers and three sisters Mike (Flora) Orlich, George (Blanche) Orlich, Sophie (Jack) Palmer, Louie (Marvel, Maureen), Mary (Vern) Halvorson, Rudy (Bonnie) Orlich and Angeline (Ron) Zaicek. He is survived by three brothers; Frank (Virginia) Orlich, Joe Orlich, and Bob Orlich and many nieces, nephews and their families. A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, December 29, 2021 beginning at 10:00 A.M. Please sign Richard Orlich’s online tribute at www.romerofuneralhomenm.com Romero Funeral Home, 609 N. Main St., Belen, NM