Visitation

Apr 19, 2020

Biography

Richard Gerhard Vehrs, 80, a beloved husband and father passed April 19, 2020 of complications from Parkinson’s disease. Dick / Richie was born to Frieda Marie nee Koelper and Gerhard Vehrs, Jr; the youngest of 6 children. He lived in Arlington Heights, IL until his father passed in 1941, after which his mother married Erich Rehr, then moved to Chicago and then to Elmwood Park, IL. He met his wife, Donna Carolyn nee Keene, on a blind date in September 1967. He swept her off her feet! He proposed in December, they married in June 1968, and then quickly started their family: daughter Vicki (Erik) Tollakson, grandstepson Dakota; son Don (Christy), granddaughters Abby (Sean) Mullaney and Carly; son Tom (Adrienne), grandsons Bryce and Brodie. He was very proud of his children and grandchildren. Dick and Donna lived in Palatine, IL; Itasca, IL; Belvidere, IL; Elgin, IL; Marengo, IL; and Mesa, AZ. Every home had at least one dog, one home had several goats, and he is now sorely missed by their Schnauzer, Max. Dick and Donna’s love for God, each other, and their children built a strong family unit who always had room for one more, and one more, and one more. “Pa” truly valued his family and welcomed all of their friends. The “extra” children and grandchildren are too many to name. From childhood, Dick was into taking things apart and putting them back together, sometimes with extra pieces and sometimes with injuries, but pretty much always making them work. This talent gave him a great career at Northern IL Gas, Hearth & Home, and All Temp; and a lifelong love of classic and antique cars with Elmwood Gearsmen, W.P. Chrysler Club, and Midwest Street Rod Association of IL. His ‘fourth child’ and most favorite auto ever, a 1932 DeSoto, was stripped and rebuilt at least twice in the 40+ years he owned it. In recent years he passed out wallet-size pictures of that car to everyone who expressed an interest in it, and it was emblazoned on many t-shirts. Dick lived his life to the fullest, camping all over the country with family and friends, attending kids’ and grandkids’ sports and plays, making tons of home movies, dancing (especially polkas!), enjoying his car clubs and car shows, and sharing time between IL and AZ homes and family. He battled several different illnesses in the past 18 years, but always found time for family reunions, meals with friends, working on projects at his / his kids’ homes, or just watching wrestling on TV. He was always an active member of a Lutheran church, spending many years at St Luke in Itasca and most recently at King of Glory in Elgin, IL. Along with his beloved wife and family, he was the dear brother of Herb (the late Marylin) and Bea (the late Erv) Lemke and the late Harold, Val (the late Hal) and Bob (Bernie) and brother-in-law of Margo (the late Art) Schrader and Janet (the late Gordon) Keene, Tina Combs, Sandy Morrison, and Chuck (Rose) Swanson and many much-loved cousins, fond uncle of many nieces and nephews; devoted son of the late Gerhard and Frieda Marie, stepson of the late Erich Rehr and son-in-law of the late Violet (the late Vern) Kegle and the late Donald (Bev) Keene. He is survived by many cousins, step siblings in law and lifelong friends around the country. A memorial service will be held later in the year after the Covid-19 restrictions are lifted. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in his memory to: King of Glory Lutheran Church in Elgin, IL http://kogelgin.org/ Follow Your Heart Animal Rescue in Mesa, AZ https://www.followyourheartanimalrescue.org/ Feed My Starving Children https://www.fmsc.org/ Arrangements were entrusted to The Oaks Funeral Home 630-250-8588.

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