Wiedrich Robert
6/19/2012
Reverend Robert C. "Bob" Wiedrich, 87, of Decatur passed away at 4:35a.m., Tuesday, June 19, 2012 in Lincoln Rehabilitation Center, Decatur, IL. A memorial service to celebrate Bob's life will be at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, June 25, 2012 at Grace United Methodist Church, 901 N. Main Street, Decatur, IL. Following the service the family will receive friends in the Fireside Room of the church. Memorials may be made to the Preacher's Aid Society. Dawson & Wikoff Funeral North Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Bob was born January 12, 1925 in Rockford, IL the son of Jacob C. and Pauline (Osborne) Wiedrich. Bob served in the US Army during World War II. After the war he completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois and then went on to graduate from Garrett Biblical Institute. He married Alice R. Rife on June 26, 1948. Bob's first preaching position was in 1947 at the Methodist Church in Argenta, IL. From there he served a number of churches throughout Illinois with one international stint as pastor of a church in New Zealand. Throughout his life, Bob has always been a social activist and proponent of social justice participating in the civil rights movement and locally in the A. E. Staley Company lockout. He was a member of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of the United Methodist Church, a member of the Rotary Club of Decatur, where he was named a 2006 Paul Harris Fellow, an active member of Theater 7 in Decatur, and a member of the Criminal Justice Group. Surviving is his wife: Alice of Decatur; sons: Thomas Wiedrich and his wife Lin of El Paso, IL; Charles Wiedrich and his wife Vicki of Pittsburg, PA; and Daniel Wiedrich and his wife Michelle of Kingwood, TX; grandchildren: Andrew Wiedrich of Boulder, CO, Alicyn Wiedrich of Charlotte, NC, Samantha Wiedrich, Nicholas Wiedrich and Noah Wiedrich all of Kingwood, TX. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister: Elizabeth. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family at www.dawson-wikoff.com. The family wishes to extend their special thanks to Kim from St. John's Home Health Care and to caregivers Michelle and Israel for all their care and compassion. Obituary written by family members. Online guest book at http://legacy.com/obituaries/herald-review/
