Richard E. Gerig, age 98, a resident of Carol Stream, died February 8, 2021.  He was born May 25, 1922 in Fort Wayne, Indiana to Sarah and Safara Gerig.

Richard spent his early years in Fort Wayne, and following high school went to Wheaton College. His education was interrupted by World War II. He served in the army and was assigned to a post in the Los Angeles, CA area. During this time he met his wife Wilma and they were married in 1947. Upon his return from service he completed a degree in Music at Wheaton College. While at Wheaton College he was an initiator of WETN, the college's radio station which first broadcast in 1947.

The first eight years of Richard's career were spent at Fort Wayne Bible College where he taught music, and directed the college's programming for radio broadcasts, primarily producing the music. However, his experience in broadcasting and interfacing with the community led Fort Wayne Bible College to ask him to set up a Public Relations department. His abilities and love for this sort of work caught the attention of Wheaton College and in 1958 he was asked to come to Wheaton to coordinate the 1959-1960 Centennial celebration of Wheaton College. Following the Centennial event he joined the college's public relations group, and ultimately became the Director of Public Affairs at Wheaton College.

For the College he coordinated advertising, oversaw publications, directed the College news service, made arrangements for the annual Hymn Sing, coordinated dedications (Billy Graham Center 1980, Communication resource Center 1986), inaugurations (Dr. Hudson T. Armerding, and Dr. J. Richard Chase), the Blanchard family reunion in 1985, and stayed around long enough to organize the 125th anniversary celebration of the college in 1984-85.

His position in this role at Wheaton College led to involvement in numerous City of Wheaton activities. These included the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, the Wheaton Historic Preservation Committee, the DuPage Heritage Gallery, West Suburban Evangelical Fellowship, the Sesquicentennial Commission, and the City's Community Relations and Sister City Commissions.

Throughout this time he stayed involved in music, originally at the College Church in Wheaton, and then moving to Wheaton Bible Church as an assistant to the music director. When that person moved on, Richard filled in as the "interim" director as the church was seeking a full time person. The "interim" Music Director role lasted for 15 years, from 1971 to 1986, all the while serving as Director of Public Affairs at Wheaton College.

In 1986 he cofounded the Wheaton Leadership Prayer Breakfast which continues to this day.

During his years at Wheaton College he regularly designed and built the Wheaton College float for Wheaton's 4th of July parade. He also participated in the parade by driving the car that pulled the float.

Richard was a regular contributing columnist for the Daily Herald on behalf of the Wheaton Historic Preservation Committee,

Upon retirement from Wheaton College and Wheaton Bible Church in the late 1980's, Richard subsequently filled several vacancies on the Wheaton City Council and was an elected member of the Council from 1991-1995. He also served as an Elder at the Wheaton Bible Church.

In 2000, after the death of his first wife Wilma, Richard moved to Windsor Park Manor in Carol Stream. He remarried shortly thereafter. While there, he and his wife Julie organized and led music groups and he was the song leader for Vespers. Richard and Julie led the "Sunday School at Home" class for residents. His deep faith and love for the Bible led him to study and write on many Biblical topics, producing numerous booklets and creative pictorial images of Bible texts and themes.

Richard received two significant honors during the course of his life. In 1986 he shared the "Alumni of the Year for Distinguished Service to Alma Mater' from the Wheaton College Alumni Association. This honor cited many of the activities noted above, and highlighted the relationship Richard developed between the college and the city.

The second honor came from the City of Wheaton in 2018 when the Wheaton City Council named Richard an "Outstanding Citizen of the City of Wheaton", only the third person to receive this honor in the history of the city.  The proclamation decreed that Richard, "who has been actively involved with the City of Wheaton, its institutions and residents, has demonstrated his faith, love of history and commitment to Wheaton throughout the years" and also went on to note the activities cited above. In 2018, in conjunction with the Outstanding Citizen Award, Richard was asked to be the Grand Marshal in the 4 ^th of July Parade. This was a great honor in its own right, but also was a special thrill for Richard as it brought back good memories of the many years that he drove the Wheaton College float in the parade.

Richard Gerig loved the opportunities he had to bring the town, the college and church activities together in a meaningful way, and these honors fully highlight the accomplishments that he achieved.

He is survived by two children, Rodney (Linda Marie) of Morganton, NC, and Linda (Michael) Hoisington of Grand Rapids, MI; four grandchildren; Brent Gerig, Teresa Gerig Peterson, Joshilyn Hoisington and Amy Hoisington; and five great grandchildren; as well as step children, step grandchildren and step great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wives Wilma E. Gerig in 2000, and Juliana Gerig in 2020; his parents; brother Reginald Gerig and sister-in-law Connie Gerig.

Private interment will be held at the Wheaton Cemetery in Wheaton, Illinois. Friends may view the graveside service on Friday, February 12, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. on a livestream here: Livestream for Richard Gerig

Memorial gifts may be directed to: The Wheaton Leadership Prayer Breakfast via the web page, https://www.wlpb.org/

Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com . For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.