Dick Gorton

Dick Gorton

Cedar Rapids

Dick Gorton, Cedar Rapids, IA, passed away on June 3, 2024, at the age of 91.

Bom in Cedar Rapids in 1932, he grew up on the west side of town. He initially attended Harrison Elementary School, and later attended St. Patrick’s Junior- Senior High School, graduating in 1950. After working for two years at Quaker Oats, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served for three years, including 14 months in Korea, during which time he was wounded by shrapnel and awarded the Purple Heart. Following his discharge he enrolled at the University of Iowa, where he obtained his BA in education and M.A. in counseling and guidance.

After employment as guidance counselor at Monticello High School and director of guidance Pleasant Valley High School, Dick was selected to participate in a Ford Foundation program at Stanford University, leading to the award of a doctoral degree. For the next four years he served as principal of a large, new junior-senior high school in Madison, WI. In 1969 he became a professor of administrative leadership at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he taught for the next 21 years, including five years as Department Chairman. During that time he authored over 100 professional articles and several text books. He was also senior editor of The Encyclopedia of Educational Administration. His last position in education was as senior professor at San Diego State University from which he retired in 1993.

Although he spent most of the remainder of his life in San Diego, he returned to reside in Cedar Rapids in 2016. His favorite place to visit was the Cedar Rapids Public Library, where he found many interesting and informative books, as well as a helpful and dedicated staff of librarians.

He is survived by Patty, his wife of 64 years, and two sons, John (Julia Edwards) of Lodi, WI, and Jim (Lyudmila) of Milwaukee, WI, as well as three grandchildren: Alice Beth, Angela, and Brandon. He was preceded in death by his grandson Justin Gorton.

A Celebration of Life will be held in a few weeks.