Charles Richard "Dick" Decker, 73
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Charles Richard "Dick" Decker, 73, of Decatur passed away Monday July 26, 2010 at Fair Havens Christian Home with his wife by his side.
A memorial service will be at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, August 7, 2010 at Dawson & Wikoff West Wood St. Funeral Home with visitation from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Condolences may be sent to the family via email at www.dawson-wikoff.com
Dick Decker was born on March 13, 1937 in Murphysboro, IL the son of Ernest and Joyce Gibson Decker. He grew up in Chester, IL; graduated from St. John's Lutheran Elementary School and Chester High School. During his youth he was very active in the Boy Scouts. He earned his Eagle Scout Rank and became a Vigil member of the Order of the Arrow.
He married Jeanine A. Cowell on June 6, 1959 and she survives. Also surviving are his children: Ann Britt and her husband John, Lynn Lake and her husband Steve, and Chuck Decker and his wife LeAnne; the grandchildren are Margaret Gibson and her husband Jason, Tony Britt, Stephanie Lake, Stacy Lake, Sadie Lake, Charlie Decker, Jessie Decker, Mick Decker and Olive Decker; and his sister Joyce Ann Coskey.
He received his Bachelor's degree from Ole Miss, and his Master's and Doctorate from Indiana University. He was a Professor at Illinois State University in Normal and Chairman of the Department of Business Administration. Dr. Decker came to Millikin University in July of 1974 as Dean and Professor of the then School of Business and Industrial Management. In 1979 he became the Acting Vice President and in 1980 he became the first holder of the newly created position of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Dr. Decker and his colleague, Jack Gaston, started the S.C.O.R.E. chapter at Millikin University.
In August of 1986, Dick made a transition from his years as an administrator back to full time faculty status when he was named the Grover M. Hermann Chair of Business Policy. He held this position until he retired in 1997. A memorable event in 1984 was his Millikin presentation on the state of the U. S. economy to President Ronald Reagan.
After he earned his Certified Financial Planner license in 1990, he worked as a financial advisor for a number of years after retiring from the university. Dick Decker and Dick Mannweiler founded Black Watch Investment Managers.
Dr. Decker's contributions have stretched far beyond the Millikin campus, His community involvements include serving on the Board of Directors of the United Way, the Boys' and Girls' Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the Junior Football League, the Lincoln Trails Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and the Decatur Civic Center. He was instrumental in the creation of the Millikin Decatur Executive Association. Dick was also a member of the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging.
Dick was a successful scholar with numerous papers, presentation and publication. He was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity (ETA Chapter at Ole Miss).
He loved his family, and enjoyed photography, tennis, biking, golf and he was a master gardener. Dick was a loyal fan of the Millikin Women's Basketball team, and a member of the "Friday morning Gentlemen's Breakfast Group." These are some of the unique ways that his presence has been felt by his family, Millikin University and the community.
The family wishes to thank Dr. R. Fritz and those who cared for Dick at Fair Havens Christian Home. We greatly appreciate all the support our many friends have given us during this time,
In Lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to be given to the Dr. C. Richard Decker Scholarship c/o Millikin University or to the Boy Scouts of America.