Funeral for RI National Guard member to be held Monday

COVENTRY, R.I. (WPRI) — A wake was held Sunday afternoon for Command Sgt. Major Richard Winkelman who died over a week ago following a crash on Route 102 South in Exeter.  

Winkelman grew up in Natick, Massachusetts and attended college at Boston University. He eventually joined the Rhode Island National Guard in 2003 and was deployed numerous times. He served overseas with the 1-126^th, 2-245th Aviation Battalion and the 1-133d Infantry Battalion. 

A Funeral Mass for Winkelman is expected to be held Monday at 11:00 a.m. at Saints John and Paul Church in Coventry. 

There will also be a burial with military honors at Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter.