Richard Henry Loeppert, ‘Dick’ to many of his friends, died peacefully at age 104, on Monday, October 8, 2018. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 pm, Sunday, October 14, at Fairmont United Methodist Church, 2501 Clarke Avenue, Raleigh, NC. The family will receive friends following the service at the church. Burial will be private.
Mr. Loeppert was born on March 13, 1914 in Chicago, Illinois, to Rev. Dr. Adam Loeppert and Anna Breslich. He was the youngest of seven children in a family where education and music flourished. Richard graduated from Northwestern University with a B.S. in chemistry in 1935 and was awarded a PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 1939. He was elected into Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, and Phi Lambda Upsilon honorary societies and was a member of the American Chemical Society for 83 years.
Dr. Loeppert accepted a faculty position at then North Carolina State College in fall 1940. He returned to Chicago only briefly to marry Adeline Louise Radtke. Richard and Adeline lived together in Raleigh for 64 years.
Dr. Loeppert served as Professor of Chemistry for 39 years, teaching mostly organic chemistry, until his retirement as Emeritus Professor in 1979. During this time he taught, mentored and influenced the career paths of thousands of students from North Carolina and across the United States, whom themselves have become leaders in their respective disciplines. During the 1950’s and early 1960’s, he also taught during summers at St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh. He served as chairman of the North Carolina section of the American Chemical Society, Vice-president of the North Carolina Academy of Science and Director of the North Carolina Science Fairs.
Dr. Loeppert was an avid reader and traveled extensively with his wife Adeline. He had several notable hobbies, including a family newspaper, ‘The Loeppert Spots’, created as a youth with his brother Bill; amateur furniture building during his early years in Raleigh; and ongoing interests in photography and gardening. He had a lifetime interest in music, second only to his primary interests in family, friends and teaching. He enjoyed all types of music from classical to jazz to early pops and was a ‘fixture’ at North Carolina Symphony classical concerts until his death. Dr. Loeppert was an active lifetime member of Fairmont United Methodist, where he played piano for his Sunday school class.
Dr. Loeppert was a longtime supporter of the arts, cultural understanding and the sciences in North Carolina. He was a lifetime Democrat. He had an extraordinary appreciation for the diversity of humanity and of nature. He loved his family and was literally a friend to all. He lived a life of peace and also died in peace.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife Adeline, father Adam, mother Anna, second mother Lydia, and siblings Elsie, Agnes, Ted, Margaret, Gertrude, Bill, and their respective spouses. He is survived by his son Richard, daughter-in-law Sara, grandson Anthony and spouse Yolanda, great grandchildren Richard and Andrea, and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Fairmont United Methodist Church, 2501 Clarke Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27607.
Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's Street Raleigh, NC 27605.
