Richard L. "Doc" Kieft

Richard L. "Doc" Kieft, 64, of Monmouth, Ill., died Sept. 16, 2009, at Great River Hospice, West Burlington, Iowa, following a short bout with pancreatic cancer. He was born April 27, 1945, in Danville, Pa., to the late Lester and Norma Kieft. He graduated from Lewisburg (Pa.) High School before completing his bachelor's and doctoral degrees in chemistry at Dickinson College and the University of Illinois, respectively. Kieft came to Monmouth in 1975 after two years as a postdoctoral teaching associate at Tulane University. He was a full-time member of Monmouth College's chemistry department from 1975 to 2006 and was a member of the college's board of trustees for three years. While at MC, Kieft was the first recipient of the Sears-Roebuck Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership in 1988, and he was selected the professor of the year by the student body in 1995. In 2002, Monmouth College created the Garrett W. Thiessen Chair of Chemistry, and Kieft was the first professor honored with the position. He was also selected as an Outstanding Young Man of America for 1980. Kieft was an elder at Faith United Presbyterian Church, and it was through that affiliation that he came to be a generous supporter of the Light Eternal Medical Clinic in Kandithankulam, India. He was also a member of the board of the Warren County YMCA, the Warren County United Way and the Warren Achievement Center. Two of Kieft's non-teaching roles on campus also meant a lot to him. He served as adviser to the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity for 25 years, and he was the college's faculty athletic representative for 15 years. "Doc" was a devoted teacher and friend. He had a very kind, gentle and generous nature and will be deeply missed by his family, his fellow faculty and students at Monmouth College and by his many friends. Surviving are two brothers and two sisters-in-law, John and Connie Kieft of Colorado Springs, Colo., and James and Jean Kieft of Charlotte, N.C. Kieft. Also surviving are two nieces, Sharon and Hope, and one nephew, Daniel. Services:A funeral service will be on Saturday September 19, 2009 at 10:00 am at Faith United Presbyterian Church of Monmouth. His family plans to receive friends at Turnbull Funeral Home in Monmouth on Friday afternoon from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm and at 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Friday evening. Cremation is to be accorded following the funeral service. In lieu of flowers, memorial funds are designated for the new center for integrated studies at Monmouth College at 700 East Broadway, Monmouth, IL 61462, or to Faith United Presbyterian Church, 200 South Eighth Street, Monmouth, IL 61462, or to Great River Hospice, 1306 South Washington Rd., West Burlington, IA 52655-1703.