Edmund D. Heerdt Obituary (1941 - 2021)

Edmund "Ed" Dale Heerdt, 79, of Bloomington, passed away peacefully on February 15, 2021 at Luther Oaks Retirement Community. His memorial service will be held at 10am on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at Holy Trinity Church, Bloomington, with Monsignor Douglas Hennessy officiating. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 pm on Friday, June 11, 2021 at Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home, Bloomington. Cremation rites have been accorded. A burial of ashes will be held in Arthur, IL at a later date. Ed was born in Decatur, IL to Albert and Marjorie Heerdt and was raised in Arthur, IL. He married Sara (Sally) Jane Bush on January 25, 1969, in Green Bay, WI. She survives. Also surviving are his children: daughter Becky of Normal, IL and son Greg (Jennifer) of Denver, CO; brothers Roger (Denise) of Bloomington and Gary (Meg) of Boulder, CO; and many nieces and nephews. Ed graduated from Arthur High School in 1960 as valedictorian of his class. He was one of the leaders of the AHS basketball team that won the Okaw Valley Conference championship in 1960. After graduation, Ed attended the University of Illinois, earning his Bachelor of Science degree with honors in chemical engineering in 1965. He then attended the University of Minnesota and earned his PhD in Chemical engineering in 1969. While attending graduate school, he met Sally when she cleaned his teeth during a dental appointment. Ed refused to leave the dental chair until she agreed to go out with him. After graduation-and the wedding-Ed and Sally moved to Alameda, CA when he accepted a position with Shell Development and Shell Development Oil Companies. Ed remained with Shell for 24 years, in research management (including a relocation to Houston, TX in 1973) and retired as Research Director in 1988. Upon retirement, Ed and Sally returned to their midwestern roots and settled in Bloomington. Throughout his life, Ed was a strong advocate of education and he continued that in retirement with his involvement in the Senior Professionals programs at Illinois State University and the establishment of a scholarship in the College of Liberal Arts in Sciences in Biochemical Engineering at the University of Illinois. Ed and Sally were devoted members at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Ed also enjoyed playing sudoku, traveling, reading and watching basketball and football (especially his beloved Illini and the Green Bay Packers). He was proud of his small- town roots and visited Arthur regularly. He was elected to the Arthur Hall of Fame in 2014. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorials be made to the University of Illinois, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, or to a charity of your choice in memory of Edmund Heerdt.