Richard W. Hoerle

Richard (Dick) William Hoerle, 91, of Grove City, OH, passed away on Sunday, March 8, 2015. He was born on June 19, 1923 in Johnstown, PA to Robert Caspar & Grace Finn Hoerle, who preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by his first wife Mary, his brother Robert, son David & grandson Joshua Gaelan Hoerle.

Surviving family includes his wife, Janet, daughters Virginia Skwiera, Gretchen (Jack) Haughton, Lesli Hoerle, Mary (Bert) Koenig and son, Paul (Wanda). He is also survived by grandchildren James (Windy) Leone, Gillian (Joel) Haist, Scott (Eileen) Haughton, Eric Hoerle, Jonathan (Elizabeth) Hoerle, Nathanael (Alyssa) Hoerle, Timothy & Sarah Hoerle, Katy (Garrett) Nelson & Mariah Koenig as well as six great-grandchildren.

Dick wore many hats in his long life starting with his first job as a soda jerk. While attending Penn State University he worked at a bakery and a steel mill. Then, in 1945, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and was trained as a cryptographer. After World War II he left the service and served as a Justice of the Peace before beginning a sixty-three year career selling office products and quality wood furniture. He was fond of saying he sold paper clips for a living. He loved working and meeting new people, only fully retiring in 2011 at age 87.

However, his real love was aviation. He was a charter member of the National Air Force Association and served as President of both the Michigan & Ohio state chapters. He was a charter member of Motts Military Museum and sat on its Advisory Board. He also founded the Charles Lindbergh Collectors Society in 1989. Dick also led a 15-year effort that resulted in the US Postal Service issuing an air-mail stamp to honor Columbus native Captain Eddie Rickenbacker. In 1990 he brought the movie "Capt. Eddie" to the Ohio Theatre where it had premiered 45 years earlier.

Over the years Dick lectured to hundreds of school groups, civic organizations and veterans groups about the Dayton Air Force Museum, aviation history, Lindbergh, Rickenbacker and even the U.S. Constitution. In 2003 Dick led the planning, fund-raising and oversaw the building of a replica of the Eddie Rickenbacker boyhood home on the grounds of Motts Military Museum in Groveport, Ohio, with no tax dollars involved! Dick volunteered with the Red Cross for many years organizing many blood drives and was himself a 20-gallon donor. Above all, throughout his life he had an abiding love for God, his family, and our country.

A celebration of his life will take place on Saturday, March 21, 2015 at Buckeye Christian Church located at 1528 London-Groveport Road, Grove City, OH 43123. Visitation will begin at 10:00am followed by a memorial service at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Motts Military Museum at 5075 South Hamilton Rd., Groveport, OH 43125.