Richard Guidera Obituary Richard Thomas Guidera, 76, of Minnetonka, an outstanding leader in the shopping center business, passed away on May 11, 2005 after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease. A man of integrity, honor and strength, he grew up in Westbury, Long Island, New York, was graduated from Harvard in 1950 where he was on the Student Council, Captain of the freshman football team and played Varsity Football at Guard and Tackle. Commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps upon graduation, he served proudly in battle in the Korean War as a Platoon Leader and Company Commander and was chosen to represent the Marine Corps at the signing of the Truce in Panmunjom on July 27, 1953. Following eight years in the Marine Corps, he began a long and fulfilling career in the Shopping Center industry, first at Bergen Mall in New Jersey, followed by Allegheny Center in Pittsburgh. He moved to Wayzata in 1965, joining Apache Corporation to lease and develop Apache Mall in Rochester, MN. In 1968 he joined Dayton Properties. As Executive Vice President of Real Estate, he negotiated early Target Store locations and oversaw the Dayton Hudson Properties leasing and management of shopping centers, including the Dales. With partners, he began The Center Companies. In 1984 he established The Guidera Group, Inc., serving domestic and international clients and providing commercial real estate consulting services on many Twin Cities projects including brokering the sale of Powers Department Stores to Associated Dry Goods. As a national and statewide industry leader, he was recognized by The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) for his dedication, integrity and mentoring of young real estate professionals when he received their Distinguished Service Award in 1994. He was also a member of the American Council of Real Estate Consultants, ICSC, Harvard Club of New York City, St. Bartholomew's Church Board, and Funco Board of Directors. Family skiing and camping trips were an important part of his life, as was his cabin in the woods in Luck, Wisconsin. There he spent weekends enjoying family, observing wildlife, chopping wood, gardening, or in the winter, skiing at nearby Trollhaugen. Survived by much loved family: wife, Marie, and children, Dick, Jr., Ellen (Henry Purcell), Peter, Paul (Beret), Mary (Andrew Cohen), Meg (Michael Medema) and Bill (Aimee); grandchildren, Tom, Matt, Erin, Colleen, Henry Richard, Scott, Sean, Connor, Kate, Sarah, Abby, Maddie, Gena, Christopher, Jenny, Josie, Jane and Anne. Special thanks to the loving staff at Haven Homes who made his last months safe and joyful and also to dear and long term friends and family who were constant in their loving attention to him, especially in recent years. Visitation 4:30-7:30 PM Sunday~May 15~ with 7 PM prayers at David Lee Funeral Home in Wayzata. Mass of Christian Burial 10:30 AM Monday~May 16~ at The Church of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata. Visitation beginning at 9:30 AM. Burial at Fort Snelling Nat'l Cemetery. Memorials preferred to Struthers Parkinson's Center. Keep the faith.