Gilbert Laird Bieger Sr.

DECATUR - Gilbert Laird Bieger, Sr., 91, of Decatur, IL passed away at 1:15 P.M. on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 in Decatur Memorial Hospital. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Monday, August 4, 2008 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Decatur. Visitation will be from 2:00 - 5:00 PM Sunday at Dawson & Wikoff West Wood Street Funeral Home. Burial will be in Fairlawn Cemetery, Decatur. In Mr. Bieger's memory, memorials may be made to the Decatur Parkinson Disease Association, 1735 S. Albany Place, Decatur, IL 62521. Messages of condolence may be directed to the family via email at www.dawson-wikoff.com. Mr. Bieger was born on July 24, 1917 in Brooklyn, NY, the son of Gustav and Maud (Hanold) Bieger. Drafted as a private in 1941 before Pearl Harbor, Mr. Bieger was released from active duty in 1945 with the rank of captain. He served in the Korean Conflict as a captain from 1951 until 1952. He was graduated from New York University with a B.S. degree in accounting in 1948, and later became a Certified Public Accountant. Before joining the Staley Company, he served as a key financial officer with two large manufacturing companies in New York and Massachusetts. He joined A. E. Staley Mfg. Co. in Decatur in 1970 as Vice President and Controller, and was elected to the Board of Directors in February 1971. In September 1973, he was named Group Vice President – Finance and assumed responsibility for all financial and related functions of the Company. He was elected Executive Vice President in February 1979. Mr. Bieger retired from the Staley Company in November of 1982, having reached normal retirement age. Mr. Bieger was director of First Decatur Bancshares, Inc., and of The First National Bank of Decatur from 1975 until 1986, and served as Chairman of the Board of Directors from 1983 until 1986. He was a Graduate Director and Past Chairman of the Board of Directors of Decatur Memorial Hospital and was a member of the Business Advisory Council of the College of Commerce and Business Administration of the University of Illinois. He was a Mason and was a past member of the Country Club of Decatur and the Decatur Club. An avid Boston Red Sox fan, he was pleased that the Red Sox won the World Series in 2005. He was a fair golfer. He married Marie V. Weaver in 1944. She preceded him in death in 1977. He later married C. Geraldine "Jeri" McKay in 1981, who preceded him in 2004. Looking back over his life, Mr. Bieger believed he was blessed by two beautiful and loving wives, who made his life happy, joyful and loving. He is survived by: two sons, Gilbert Bieger, Jr. and wife Teresa of Fort Lauderdale, FL and Peter A. Bieger of Washington, D.C.; two grandchildren, Gilbert Bieger, III and Jeremy Bieger; and three great grandchildren, Riley, Ansley and Charles Bieger. He was preceded in death by: his parents, two wives, his middle son, Jeffrey H. Bieger, and one sister Phyllis Glenz. The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff of Decatur Memorial Hospital, the nurses and staff at Keystone Manor, and the doctors and staff at Southern Illinois University Parkinson Center for their care of Mr. Bieger. Obituary written by family members. Online guest book at www.legacy.com/ herald-review/Obituaries. asp