On Monday, November 16, 2020, loving husband and father of three children, John Alfred Gerdes, died peacefully at the age of 88, with his beloved wife Carolyn, their twin daughters, and oldest grandson by his side.

John was born in Fremont, Nebraska, on July 26, 1932, to John Diedrich and Metta Johanna Gerdes. The family moved to Mt. Olive, Illinois, when John was five, where he received a Lutheran parochial education while excelling as an all-around athlete. He worked alongside his adored father on their farm, growing corn and soybeans and raising horses and cattle.  John was naturally talented as a baseball pitcher, following in the footsteps of his father, who had played second base in the Nebraska minor leagues when John was a small child.  John was drafted by the Washington Senators and tried out for St. Louis Browns baseball teams, but decided to attend college and study agriculture.

John attended Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois, and in 1954 transferred to the University Of Illinois College Of Veterinary Medicine, graduated with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1957.  In the same year, John was admitted to the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine (Chicago), and graduated in 1961.

Following an internship at Los Angeles County Hospital, Los Angeles, California, John accepted a position as a general practitioner in Wittenberg, Wisconsin. John found practicing medicine in a small town, thirty miles from the hospital, to be a challenge to his health and entered a pathology residency at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.  John went on to become an Assistant Professor of Medicine on the faculty of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and on the staff of the VA Medical Center. In 1970, John joined St. John's Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, and for thirty years, dedicated himself to a pathology career marked by excellence and integrity, well known for his gentle touch and sweet smile. John retired in 2000.

Married 63 years to Carolyn, their love remained constant and strong, built on honesty, compassion, and empathy.   They shared a love for sailing, traveling, and the Arts.  John was passionate about music and the preservation of history and the environment, and generously supported his passions.  A voracious reader, John was always learning. He was a brilliant man who could speak on any subject, from a minor skirmish in the Civil War to the most current scientific discoveries. John never ceased to amaze his family and friends with his knowledge and wry sense of humor.

John was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Anona Mae Jones.  He is survived by his wife Carolyn Helen Gerdes; children John Jeffrey Gerdes (Millicent), their children, John Brandt, Adelaide, and Charlotte, of Houston, Texas; Lynn Gerdes Lynch (Stephen), their children, Caroline and Claire, of Webster Groves, Missouri; and Laura Gerdes Long (James "Ed"), their children Michael (Bub), and James and Julia, of Ladue, Missouri, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

John will be honored in a private gathering on his farm in Mt. Olive, Illinois, where his wish was to have his ashes scattered.  The family is planning a celebration of life memorial service in 2021.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be gratefully made to Messiah Lutheran Church, the Springfield Symphony, or the Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Foundation.  Arrangements are under the direction of Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home.