Egon Walter Gerdes
Died
Egon Walter Gerdes, 88, of Lisle/Romeoville, Illinois, passed away on March 4.
Egon Gerdes was born on January 8, 1932, in Kiel, Germany, the son of Adolf Gerdes and of Erna Gerdes, née Thomas, raised Joseph, who have preceded him in death, as has his beloved sister Edith. After the Abitur (graduation certificate from the gymnasium) at the Johann Heinrich Voss School in Eutin (1952), Egon studied at the universities of Mainz (1952-1953), of Kiel (1953-1958), of Durham, England (1955), at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (1958-1960), and of Geneva, Switzerland (1960-1961). He holds the Dr. theol. degree from the University of Kiel (1958) and the Ph.D. degree from Emory University (1960), as well as an honorary L.H.D. degree from Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa (1975). Egon was a missionary of the (United) Methodist Church, teaching in Mulungwishi, Katanga, Congo (1961), before being evacuated to South Africa, where he taught at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape (1962). After a brief interlude as an academic assistant at his home university Kiel (1963), Egon emigrated to the USA (1963). Egon taught at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee (1963-1976) and at Garrett-Evangelical) Seminary and Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois (1967-1979). During that time he spent two years as a theological consultant to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church (1974-1976). Egon then served for a year full time as a spiritual director (1979-1980). The pastoral career of Egon embraced positions in McGregor, Iowa (1980-1982), Des Moines, Iowa (1982-1984), and Dubuque, Iowa (1984-1992). In Dubuque, Iowa, he returned to academic teaching (1968-1992). He then continued to fulfill pastoral positions in Flossmoor, Illinois (1992-1994), Hamburg, Germany (1994-1996), and, in retirement, a German congregation in Naperville, Illinois (2013 until his untimely death). Egon was very proud that he became a United States citizen on April 3, 2019. Egon is survived by his wife Jean, daughter Ute, son Eckhard, three grandsons, four great-grandchildren, and other family and friends. A memorial service for Egon will be determined at a later date.
Egon Gerdes was born on January 8, 1932, in Kiel, Germany, the son of Adolf Gerdes and of Erna Gerdes, née Thomas, raised Joseph, who have preceded him in death, as has his beloved sister Edith. After the Abitur (graduation certificate from the gymnasium) at the Johann Heinrich Voss School in Eutin (1952), Egon studied at the universities of Mainz (1952-1953), of Kiel (1953-1958), of Durham, England (1955), at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (1958-1960), and of Geneva, Switzerland (1960-1961). He holds the Dr. theol. degree from the University of Kiel (1958) and the Ph.D. degree from Emory University (1960), as well as an honorary L.H.D. degree from Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa (1975). Egon was a missionary of the (United) Methodist Church, teaching in Mulungwishi, Katanga, Congo (1961), before being evacuated to South Africa, where he taught at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape (1962). After a brief interlude as an academic assistant at his home university Kiel (1963), Egon emigrated to the USA (1963). Egon taught at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee (1963-1976) and at Garrett-Evangelical) Seminary and Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois (1967-1979). During that time he spent two years as a theological consultant to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church (1974-1976). Egon then served for a year full time as a spiritual director (1979-1980). The pastoral career of Egon embraced positions in McGregor, Iowa (1980-1982), Des Moines, Iowa (1982-1984), and Dubuque, Iowa (1984-1992). In Dubuque, Iowa, he returned to academic teaching (1968-1992). He then continued to fulfill pastoral positions in Flossmoor, Illinois (1992-1994), Hamburg, Germany (1994-1996), and, in retirement, a German congregation in Naperville, Illinois (2013 until his untimely death). Egon was very proud that he became a United States citizen on April 3, 2019. Egon is survived by his wife Jean, daughter Ute, son Eckhard, three grandsons, four great-grandchildren, and other family and friends. A memorial service for Egon will be determined at a later date.
Source: Chicago Tribune
Published on: 18-03-2020