Richard Aleshire

Richard Norman Aleshire, Sr.Dick was reunited in heaven with his mother and father on February 19, 2012 at the age of 81. He died from complications due to the leukemia (ALL) that he battled for three years. He was born on May 4, 1930, the only child of Arthur Alfred and Lauretta (Bockley) Aleshire, in Springfield, Ohio and raised in Ashland, Ohio. He graduated from Ashland High School in 1948 and then attended Miami University of Ohio for three years before entering the Army in 1951. He did his basic training in Colorado and was part of the German occupation force stationed in Kaiserslautern, Germany. The Army trained him as a Chief Draftsman. After his discharge in 1953 he met and married the love of his life, Mary Ellen Fishpaw. He entered Purdue University where he received a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1955. His time in Colorado during boot camp influenced him to return to Denver where he joined Sundstrand Aviation. He enjoyed a 36 year career with Sundstrand as an Engineer and Manager, transferring from Denver to Rockford, Illinois in 1963, retiring in 1991. Over the years Dick enjoyed singing in the church choirs of both Alpine Lutheran Church and Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Rockford. After retirement he spent many hours volunteering at the Rockford Discovery Center. The doll house there that thousands of children have enjoyed playing with was lovingly built by Dick with inspiration from his granddaughters. He is preceded in death by his parents and his brotherinlaw John P. Fishpaw. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen; children, Richard N. and Roberta L. (Haney) Aleshire, Jr. of Kokomo, Indiana; Arthur A. Aleshire of Portland, Maine; Kevin C. and Julie (Martin) Aleshire of St. Louis, Missouri; Robert J. Aleshire of Rockford, Illinois; grandchildren, Jennifer A. Aleshire, Sarah L. (Jake) Morgan, Adam M. Aleshire, Laura E. Aleshire, Joseph Matel, and Abigail A. Aleshire and greatgrandchildren, Jonas D. Morgan, Emersen F. Matel, and baby Morgan, due in September.Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, February 25, 2012 at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, 3300 Rural Street, Rockford. Visitation from 5pm until 7pm Friday at Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, Riverside Chapel, 3910 North Rockton Avenue, Rockford IL.. and also from 10am until 10:45 Saturday at the church. In lieu of flowers please send donations to the American Heart Association or The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.