Richard H. Isherwood, age 100, of Galesburg, Illinois, died at 8:38 a.m. on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Illinois Veterans Home in LaSalle, Illinois.
He was born on May 3, 1923, in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, the son of James and Mary (Bikowski) Isherwood. He married Patricia Ann Nelson on February 11, 1965, in Las Vegas, Nevada. She preceded him in death on April 12, 2015.
Surviving are is children: Debbie Nanninga of Kewanee, Donna Vanskike of Monmouth, Illinois and Kit Isherwood of Wataga, Illinois; two step children: Connie (Wendel) Byerly of Gilson, Illinois and Sherry (Dave) Nelson of Galesburg, Illinois; thirteen grandchildren, fifteen great grandchildren and thirteen great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, foster father, daughter Diana, three brothers John, George and Franklin, a sister, Isabel Westfall, three son-in-law’s, Gene Nanninga, Clay Vanskike, and Percy Kane, and one step-son, John “Artie” Borth.
Richard began his service in 1939 in the Army Air Corps; he later became a recruiter for the United States Air Force. He served his country during WWII, the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War. He retired from the Airforce in 1963. He was a member of the D.A.V., VFW, the American Legion, Sargent’s Association of the Air Force. He was also a member of the Order of Eastern Star and the Rio Masonic Lodge.
He worked at Yellowstone National Park, Easter Seals Camp in Denver, and the National Park Service for 10 years and visited all 50 states and several countries. He lived in Las Vegas prior to moving to Galesburg in 2003. He loved to tinker, he a “Jack of all trades and master of none.”
Cremation rites will be accorded and he was be interred at the Rock Island National Cemetery, alongside his wife. On-line condolences and/or expressions of sympathy may be sent through www.hurd-hendricksfuneralhome.com.
