John R. Gelbach 1920-2010

Longtime Lincoln attorney John R. Gelbach passed away on Monday at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. Mr. Gehlbach graduated from Beason High School in 1938 and studied for two years at the University of Illinois, where he served on the staff of the Daily Illini newspaper. He transferred to Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree as a member of the class of 1942. During World War II, John spent 4½ years of Navy service for his country in the Seabees. He was on duty in the Pacific Theatre in Australia and New Guinea. While in the Navy, John studied for 8 months at the Harvard University School of Business. Discharged in 1946, he had attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander. After the war he enrolled at Northwestern University Law School, a member of the class of 1949, he was an editor of the Northwestern Law Review and received a bachelor of laws degree in 1949. After being admitted to the bar, Mr. Gehlbach became assistant to the general counsel for Swift & Company in Chicago until 1951 when he moved back to Lincoln to open his law firm. Family will receive friends from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., on Thursday, Aug. 26, at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home, 127 South Logan, Lincoln. A funeral ceremony will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 402 Pekin Street, Lincoln, Illinois on Friday, Aug. 27 at 11 a.m. with Father James Cravens officiating. Burial will be in Elkhart Cemetery, Elkhart. Memorial contributions may be made to Lincoln College or Trinity Episcopal Church. Read the full obituary in the Springfield State Journal-Register.