Richard John Niciejewski, age 69, of Monroe, passed away Sunday, October 18, 2026 at his home, surrounded by loved ones.

Richard was born November 29, 1956 in London, Ontario, Canada, to Jan and Bernadette (Stysial) Niciejewski.

Rick married Susan J. Williams on May 9, 1981. They had a beautiful marriage and had recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. On their honeymoon, they backpacked through Europe for 5 months, embarking on countless adventures and creating memories that would last a lifetime.

In high school, Rick served as the president of the chess club. His brother Emil was also a member, and the two enjoyed competing in the same league.

Rick furthered his education after high school, earning a bachelor’s degree in Astronomy and a master’s and PhD in physics. He was a professor and researcher at the University of Michigan, where he studied upper atmospheric physics and conducted researched in Greenland and Chile. He was a beloved professor who inspired hundreds of students in both the engineering and physics programs.

Rick enjoyed gazing at the night sky with his telescope and could name all the constellations and stars in the sky. He also enjoyed watching English Premier Legue football, cheering on his all-time favorite team was Chelsea. In his younger years, he collected stamps and coins and played tennis. He loved listening to all types music from rock to opera, and enjoyed attending concerts, including Pink Floyd in 1978, symphonic orchestras in Detroit, and musical performances in Stratford, Ontario.

Rick shined the brightest when supporting those he loved- as a father, brother, husband, and grandfather. He always put those he loved first and went out of his way to build a special relationship with each one. He made it a priority to attend every one of his daughter’s music concerts, his son’s wrestling meets, and his grandchildren’s birthdays and special events. No matter how busy life became, he was always there to support and celebrate the people he loved. A ‘dad joke’ was never far from his tongue, and all would describe him as jolly, caring, intellectually curious and simply one of a kind.

He is survived by his wife, Susan; two children, Sean (Amanda) Niciejewski and Katrina (Michael) Castaneda; three grandchildren, Matthew, Charlie and Delaney Niciejewski; a brother, Emil (Diana Lamb) Niciejewski; brothers-in-law, David (Maureen) Williams and Paul (Sue) Llew-Williams; several nieces and nephews and their families.

He is preceded in death by his parents.

Memorial visitation will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday, October 26, 2026 at Bacarella Funeral Home, 1201 S. Telegraph Rd., Monroe. A memorial service will begin at 5:30 p.m. with Pastor Dennis Fair, a family friend, officiating. Private interment will take place at Roselawn Memorial Park, LaSalle.

Online condolences and special memories may be shared with the family by visiting the obituary page at www.bacarellafuneralhome.com.