Richard Paul Gehrke

Mr. Richard P. Gehrke was born to the late George Gehrke and the late Mae Harten Gehrke on December 15, 1923 in Hamden, Connecticut. He was a retired mechanical engineer who graduated from the University of Louisville, Speed Scientific School of Engineering – “Go Cards!” He went on to work at General Electric for twenty years as a quality design engineer, before retiring from Heil Quaker in Lewisburg.

Richard is a WWII veteran and served as a member of the 479th Fighter Group of the 8th Army Air Corp. He participated in D-Day and volunteered for service at the Battle of the Bulge and achieved the rank of corporal. He is a founding member of the National Museum of the Mighty 8th Air Corp in Savannah, GA. He also later became a member of the Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19 in Maury County, TN and the VFW.

Richard’s commitment to serving others didn’t end with his military service. He was a volunteer for the Red Cross Disaster Relief Team in Georgia. He was a Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, holding various offices as a member. He was also a member of St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church.

Richard and his wife Imogene recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Mr. Gehrke passed away on June 15, 2013 at Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, Tennessee.

Mr. Gehrke is survived by his wife Imogene; children: Beth, Peggy, George (Ashley) and Adrienne; grandchildren: Olivia, Katie and Hunter.

Funeral services for Richard will be held Wednesday, June 19 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church in Columbia. Burial services will follow at Polk Memorial Gardens with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. The family will visit with friends on Tuesday, June 18 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Williams Funeral Home in Columbia.

Pallbearers will be John Barboza, Gene McShane, Brian Lobo, Steve Konz and Mark Ebert.
Honorary pallbearers will include members of the Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19, the VFW and the Knights of Columbus.

Donations may be made to the Vanderbilt Heart Institute at http://www.vanderbilthealth.com/heart .

Williams Funeral Home is assisting the family and online condolences may be left at www.williamsfh.com .