Harold Rivard’s death leaves a legacy of education, athletics, and community service in Somerset.
Harold Rivard, a beloved educator, coach, and community leader from Somerset, Wisconsin, died at the age of 84 on Friday, July 12, 2025.
His passing marks the end of a remarkable life dedicated to teaching, mentoring, and serving the community he loved.
Born on February 19, 1941, Harold Rivard devoted his life to education, athletics, and civic engagement.
A four-year football player at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, Harold earned All-Conference honors in 1962 before graduating in 1963 with a degree in education.
His passion for sports and teaching naturally carried over into his professional career.
From 1970 to 1995, he taught science to 5th and 6th-grade students in the Somerset school district, leaving an indelible mark on generations of young learners.
Alongside his teaching career, Harold Rivard built a respected legacy in athletics.
Between 1970 and 1988, he served as a football coach for Somerset High School, with his 1975 team achieving an impressive 8-1 record.
His contributions extended to coaching basketball, wrestling, and track & field through 1985, and he later took on the role of Junior High football coach until 1995, where he also organized wrestling tournaments to foster youth engagement in sports.
Beyond education and athletics, Harold Rivard was deeply committed to the Somerset community.
He co-founded the Somerset Memorial Scholarship Fund in 1985, helping local students pursue higher education. His service included a 15-year tenure on the St. Croix Co-Op Electric Board from 1998 to 2013.
He also contributed to preserving Somerset’s heritage by co-creating an oral history for the public library and co-authoring a book about the town’s history during prohibition.
Additionally, he helped organize the Old Timers Softball Tournament, which raised funds to improve Village Park.
Harold Rivard’s family, including his wife Theresa (Germain) Rivard, whom he married in 1962, and their five sons, all of whom participated in athletics and graduated from Somerset.
Family, friends, and former students will gather to honor Harold’s life during a Memorial Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday, July 17, 2025, at 11:00 AM at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Somerset.
Visitation will be held the evening prior, on July 16, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services in New Richmond.
Additional visitation will begin at 10:00 AM on Thursday at the church. Harold will be laid to rest at St. Anne’s Cemetery following the mass.
In lieu of flowers, the Rivard family encourages donations to the Harold and Theresa (Germain) Rivard Family Scholarship, continuing Harold’s lifelong mission of supporting Somerset’s young people.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services.
