Cover photo for Richard Clinton Wedel's Obituary
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1917 Richard 2012

Richard Clinton Wedel

March 17, 1917 — June 7, 2012

Richard Clinton Wedel, 95, died peacefully his home of nearly 70 years, on Thursday, June 7. He was born March 17, 1917 in Elgin, to Richard Henry Wedel and Mattie Mae Williams Wedel.nbsp;nbsp; The family moved to Oak Park and then to Rockford where he attended school, graduating from Rockford High School in 1934. After graduation from Beloit College in 1938, he served as Superintendent, teacher, and bus driver for the Kishwaukee and then the Winnebago school districts. On September 13, 1942, Richard married Marjorie Bernice Scherphorn of Riverside, CA.nbsp; They met while both were students at Garrett Theological Seminary, Evanston.nbsp; In 1943, he earned a Master of Divinity degree and was ordained an elder in the Methodist Church.nbsp; He served churches in Northern Illinois and in the state of Oregon.nbsp; He taught history at Willamette University, Salem, OR. In 1952, Richard and Marjorie returned with their children to the family farm northwest of Rockford.nbsp; As well as tending large gardens and orchards and managing the farm, Richard started teaching in Rockford public schools.nbsp; He retired from the system in 1976, after teaching history at Roosevelt Junior High, West High, and Guilford High.nbsp; He also worked as an administrator at Lincoln Junior High School and at Auburn High School. Richard served as a supply pastor in many Methodist and Presbyterian churches in the area during the 1950s and 60s while farming and teaching.nbsp; He also earned advanced degrees from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, and from the University of Illinois, Urbana during that time.nbsp; He was active in Court Street United Methodist Church, and chaired a wide range of church and civic organizations. He married Iolene Hewitt April 22, 1999.nbsp; Together they shared many church, community and family activities and the company of many good friends.

A devoted family man, he said his proudest accomplishment was, with Marjorie, raising their four children: Richard (Diane) of Lawrence, KS and Bozeman, MT; Martha (Ed) Caputo; Sue (Al) Hoople; Paul (Elvira Iancu), all of Rockford;nbsp; ten grandchildren, Clint (Xan) Wedel, Lawrence, KS; Aimee Wedel, Annapolis, MD, Mara Caputo (Christian Hirschi), Zurich and Geneva, Switzerland; Mario Caputo, DeKalb, Christopher Caputo, Al Ayn, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Charis Caputo, Chicago, Nathan Hoople (Susan Soto), Anchorage,AK, Erin Hoople (David Loken), Minneapolis, MN,nbsp; Ethan Wedel, Rockford, Zoe Wedel, Santa Cruz, CA;nbsp; three greatgranddaughters, Keisha Williams, Raleigh, NC; Auja Kyser, Annapolis, MD; Rowan Calliope Wedel, Lawrence, KS. He is also survived by Iolene HewittWedel, Wesley Willows;nbsp; niece Carol Jaenicke (Stanley) Strainis, Hayward, WI; cousins William Hoefs, Sheboygan Falls, WI and Roberta Micketts, St. Louis, MO. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Margaret Hotelling Wedel (d. 1940), his second wife Marjorie Scherphorn Wedel (d. 1987), his sister Jean and brotherinlaw Kurt Jaenicke, and by his best of friends, Ed Hunt.

A Service of Remembrance will be held at Court Street United Methodist Church on Thursday at 1:30 p.m.nbsp;and will include an opportunity to share memories about Richard. The family asks that those who wish to honor his memory would commit at least one random act of kindness.nbsp; Those wishing to give a memorial gift may direct it to Court Streets Neighborhood Outreach. Fitzgerald Funeral Home amp; Crematory, assisted the family.

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