Rd Emerson

R D “Dick” Emerson, 92, died at 3:30 a.m., Saturday, April 24, 2010 at Greencroft Healthcare, Goshen, IN.  Dick was born March 3, 1918 in Irvin Store, KY to Enoch Monroe and Ruth Ellen (Wilkerson) Emerson.  At age 11 Dick moved with his family to the Rantoul area of East Central Illinois. In his youth Dick worked for several farmers in the Fisher area. On November 23, 1938 Dick married Mildred Heiser in Fisher, IL. She died in 1992. Also, preceding his death were his parents; 1 son, John; 1 brother, Spencer; 4 sisters, Bonnie Evans, Erie Evans, Eva Eads, and Eula “Bude” Evans. Dick is the father of four daughters, Ruth Amelia (James) Horsch, Goshen, IN; Mary Lou (Don) Kelley, Gibson City, IL; Anna Kay (Delbert) Friesen, Huntington Beach, CA; Phyllis Marie (John) Mishler, Goshen, IN.  Survivors also include 9 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and 1 sister, Ruby Anderson, Rantoul, IL. Dick provided a living for his family as a grain and livestock farmer, custom butcher, school bus driver, a laborer for Central Soya and the Illinois Central Rail Road, church janitor, and seed salesman.  Dick was a member of East Bend Mennonite Church, Fisher, IL, and Fairhaven A.M. Church, Goshen. He also related to the Pleasant View Church, Arthur, IL. In retirement Dick was a volunteer at Provena Covenant Hospital, Champaign, IL for which he served as a liaison between the hospital and the Amish Community of Arthur, IL. He was active in the Champaign County IL Jail ministry; volunteer at Ten Thousand Villages, Champaign, IL; sponsor of a Vietnamese family and entertained numerous international guests. Dick was a self taught musician playing the harmonica, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and guitar. He never knew a stranger and made many friends wherever he lived. He was a resident of the Greencroft retirement community, Goshen, IN since 2004. Visitation will take place on Friday, April 30, from 2-4 and 5-7 p.m. at Greencroft Retirement Community in The Meetinghouse.  A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 1, at 11:30 a.m. (Eastern Time), at Fairhaven A.M. Church, Goshen, IN. A funeral service and burial will take place at the East Bend Mennonite Church and cemetery, Fisher, IL at a later date. Memorials may be made to Provena Covenant Hospital or Mennonite Central Committee.