Richard Wilson Gerhardt

Dr. Richard Wilson Gerhardt of Greenville, Illinois, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013.

He was born July 6, 1925 in Hillsboro, Ill., one of four children of William Charles Gerhardt and Faye Genevieve Emery.

Raised in Hillsboro and Irving, his family moved to Wyoming when he was 11. He attended a one-room school in Elk Mountain, graduating from high school in 1943.

Richard enlisted in the U.S. Army four days after reaching the age of 18. He joined the 162nd Regiment of the 41st Infantry Division, seeing action in the South Pacific Islands.

Following his honorable discharge from the army in 1946, Richard married Margaret Winifred Jones of Sinclair.

They had three children: Celia Margaret, of Atlanta Ga.; David Richard, and Daniel Joseph Gerhardt, both of Durango, Colo.

Richard earned both Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the University of Wyoming. He was then employed by the state of California, at which time he earned a Doctorate of Philosophy degree from the University of California. After receiving his PhD, he taught science at Adams State College in Colorado, and later at South Dakota State University. Following his teaching career he accepted a position with the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Ga., and retired after 20 years of distinguished service.

In retirement, Richard moved to Saratoga, where he spent much of his youth. In his later years he returned to the Hillsboro area and spent much of his time tracing his family genealogy.

Richard was an avid sportsman and greatly enjoyed the outdoors.

Richard is survived by his three aforementioned children and three grandchildren: Matthew Gerhardt, Michael Gerhardt and James Fowler.

Services will be held at Elk Mountain, at a yet to be determined date. In lieu of cards and flowers, friends and family are asked to make any desired contributions to St. Luke Lutheran Church in Irving, Ill.