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Richard Otto Cantu Jr.

February 20, 1958 - June 1, 2026
Visitation
Krause Funeral Home Milwaukee
9000 West Capitol Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53222
Sunday 6/21, 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Service
Krause Funeral Home Milwaukee
9000 West Capitol Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53222
Sunday 6/21, 10:30 am
Memorial

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, guests bring plants that will be cared for long after the ceremony.

Richard Otto Cantu, Jr., 68, passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 1, 2026, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Born on February 20, 1958, in Chicago, Illinois,

He was the eldest son of Richard Otto Cantu Sr., and Olive Doreen Cantu.

He attended Milwaukee Lutheran High School, Columbia School of Broadcasting, and University of Wisconsin- Platteville before entering into a successful career as a broadcast journalist.

Though holding many jobs in radio including at WROK in Rockford, Illinois, WTMJ in Milwaukee, and WJMK in Chicago, he spent the majority of his career living his dream of being a news correspondent for ABC in New York City. After 20 years at ABC, he retired, moving home to Milwaukee.

There, he spent time reconnecting with friends and family, tinkering with his vintage strategy board games, and enjoying his collection of books, CDs, and DVDs. Being a voracious reader of science fiction and possessing an eclectic taste in music, his decades and genre spanning collection of physical media was vast.

He was known for his intelligence, being a deep well of history and trivia; his unique sense of humor which sometimes rubbed people the wrong way; and his undying commitment to the truth. This sometimes brought him to heads with others, but Richard was never one to part easily with his values.

Richard is survived by his father, Richard Cantu, Sr.; his ex-wife, Annette Denise Davenport-Cantu; his children, Richard Otto Cantu III and Beau Cantu; his siblings, Leo Cantu, Matthew Cantu, and Sarah Spotts and their spouses Sabrina Cantu and Jim Spotts, along with many nieces and nephews on both sides of his family.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Richard at Krause Funeral Home, 9000 West Capitol Drive, Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Sunday, June 21, 2026, from 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, guests bring plants that will be cared for long after the ceremony.

Close-up portrait of a man with short dark hair and light stubble, wearing a black pinstripe suit, tan shirt, and black tie.
Group photo of five smiling radio show hosts, The Oldies 104.3 Morning Team.
Portrait of a man in a suit and tie, smiling at the camera.
Man on a sofa making a goofy face with tongue out, cluttered living room table behind him with photos, lamp, plant, and papers nearby.
Man with a mustache sitting on a couch holding a smiling girl in a pink shirt; cozy living room background with a lamp and family photos.
Crowded beach with many sunbathers lounging on colorful towels along the sand near the water's edge
Smiling couple posing at a bar: man in a black hat and pink floral shirt, woman in white lace beside him, liquor shelves in the background.
Man in a patterned robe bends over a table in a living room, with kids seated on a floral couch in the foreground.
Four friends posing and smiling in a kitchen, one flashing a peace sign on the left side of the photo.
Woman with glasses smiling and pointing at the camera, flanked by two friends in a playful indoor photo.
Five adults sit around a wooden table at a colorful restaurant, smiling with plates of food and drinks in front of them.
Smiling man in a purple shirt and cap stands among tall banana plants in a tropical garden.
Smiling man wearing a black Chicago Bulls cap and glasses, posing with a woman wearing glasses outdoors against a glass-and-steel structure.
Two men sit closely together indoors; younger man in a red patterned shirt rests his head on an older man in an orange sweater, smiling.
Couple posing together in a parking lot, woman in a colorful floral dress and man in a tropical shirt and hat, smiling at the camera with a basket resting by the woman
Smiling couple posing at a formal event; woman in a navy gown with a high slit and the man in a dark suit with a blue tie, banquet tables in the background.
Three men in a living room: two seated on a dark sofa—one elderly with glasses, the other in a black shirt—while a third man stands near the doorway with arms crossed; a colorful bouquet artwork is on the wall behind them.
Man in a dark suit and blue tie wearing sunglasses, seated at an outdoor event beside a woman in a blue dress.
Group of eight adults at a wedding reception posing for a photo around a table with champagne flutes on it.
Group portrait of a wedding party: bride in lace gown and groom in white suit with red sash, flanked by a man in a dark suit and a woman in a pink dress, with a cross in the background.
Man wearing a blue‑white patterned shirt sits at a wooden restaurant table, resting his arm; salad bowl in foreground and a TV on the wall behind him.
A family of five outdoors in a garden, posing in front of a white picket fence with plants and flowers nearby.
A woman holds a baby in a garden next to a white picket fence and brick building, with bushes and leaves surrounding them.
A family group sits on a light-colored couch; children in red outfits, one wearing white gloves, posing for a casual photo with a lamp and decorative vase in the background.
Child in plaid shirt stands in a living room beside a seated man, with a window and blinds behind them.
Young man with a large afro hairstyle smiling for a portrait in a light striped shirt.
Young person in a blazer and striped tie, looking at the camera (black-and-white portrait)
Smiling young boy with short dark hair wearing a red polo shirt, looking at the camera against a neutral background.
Mother crouching behind a sleeping baby in a yellow outfit on a step outside a white wooden house, sunlight on the yard.
Two young children standing outdoors on a street, one holding the other, with a tree and houses in the background.
Father in a white suit holds a baby while his wife in a yellow gingham dress stands beside them outdoors in a residential yard with a brick building nearby.
Two young boys in dark jackets posing together in front of a curtain backdrop.
A smiling couple posing close together in front of a city backdrop, the woman wearing a black dress and gold jewelry.
Two men posing in a home, one kissing the other on the cheek with an arm around his shoulders.
Man with a beard in a striped shirt holds a toddler in red clothing outside a dark wooden house.
Man in a black tuxedo and bow tie stands beside a smiling woman in a red formal dress, holding a baby in a gray suit underground lighting look.
Two men posing together by the water with a Circle Line ferry and New York City skyline in the background.
Couple posing together on a waterfront with a large New York circle line lifebuoy in the foreground and the NYC skyline in the background.
Smiling man and woman pose together on a boat by the water during daytime vacation.
Smiling man wearing sunglasses and a gray shirt outdoors with a brick building behind him.
Man in an orange shirt standing outside a house with beige siding and a doorway behind him, wearing glasses and a goatee.
Two people pose together in a doorway, smiling, with a collage of photos on the wall to the left.
Smiling man in a red shirt holds a water bottle up to his face by a lake, with trees and boats in the background.
Couple posing on a boat with the Statue of Liberty in distance over the water on a sunny day
Close-up of a man wearing glasses and a red-and-white shirt, with a metal overhead-beam ceiling in the background.
Man in striped shirt holding a newborn baby wrapped in white clothing, indoors against a gray wall with curtains to the left.
Smiling woman in a pink satin robe stands behind a man holding a wrapped baby, with two children nearby and a cake on the table in a home setting.
A family group posing at a party with colorful balloons in the background; two women, a man, and a child smile for the camera.
Man asleep on a beige sofa with arms behind his head, surrounded by a tall plant, lamp, and a stack of books on the side table.
Family portrait of an African American mother, father, and two children smiling beside a decorated Christmas tree and brick fireplace; festive holiday scene.
Family portrait of a mom, dad and toddler posing together in a studio backdrop, dressed in formal attire.
Smiling couple in a studio portrait; man in a blue plaid shirt behind a woman in a black and blue dress.
Close-up of a man with short dark hair and light stubble wearing a pinstripe suit and tan shirt, looking at the camera.
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Visitation
Krause Funeral Home Milwaukee
9000 West Capitol Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53222
Map
Sunday 6/21, 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Service
Krause Funeral Home Milwaukee
9000 West Capitol Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53222
Map
Sunday 6/21, 10:30 am
Memorial

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, guests bring plants that will be cared for long after the ceremony.

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Richard Otto Cantu, Jr., 68, passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 1, 2026, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Born on February 20, 1958, in Chicago, Illinois, He was the eldest son of Richard Otto Cantu Sr., and Olive Doreen Cantu. He attended Milwaukee Lutheran High School, Columbia School of Broadcasting, and University of Wisconsin- PlattevilleContinue Reading

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Tracy A. Hysaw left a message on June 20, 2026:
My deepest and heartfelt condolences in Richard's passing. Although I have not spoken to my uncle Richard and cousin Matthew for quite a few years, I had thought of my uncle last night and googled his name and saw Richard Jr.'s obituary. I regret not speaking to you all and keeping in touch. I hope to speak to you all soon. All my love and the love of the Price Family is with you as well.
Ken Herrera left a message on June 17, 2026:
I was deeply saddened to learn of Richard's passing. He was a person I greatly admired and considered a dear friend. We worked together in Chicago for a number of years, even shared rides to and from work, and I always enjoyed being around him and his lovely family. My heart and prayers go out to his family in this troubling time. Richard was a true professional when it came to radio news and is missed by all who had the pleasure of working with or around him.
Kevin Temperly left a message on June 17, 2026:
So sad to hear what a great friend
Krause Funeral Home & Cremation Services left a message:
Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.
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