Dr. Richard V. Sandburg, 90, of Rockford, IL, since 1989 and formerly of Belvidere and Galesburg, IL, died Monday, July 4, 2005 in Swedish-American Hospital following a brief illness. He was born in Galesburg, Illinois February 3, 1915 the son of Roy E. and Martha C. (Sandburg) Goldstone. He married Alice Diekman Mansfield on June 9, 1946 in Belvidere, IL and then to Janet Tobinson Johnson on April 15, 1989 in Rockford, IL. He was a podiatrist practicing in Belvidere from 1941 to 1987. He was a devoted Rotarian. "Doc" was a member and past president of the Belvidere Noon Rotary Club. He also was the club's Secretary and editor of the "Rotary Pulse" newsletter for many years. He served on numerous Rotary District #6420 committees and was a Paul Harris Fellow. With Past District Governor, Stu Smith, helped organize and nurture the "Bright Horizons Rotary Club", Belvidere's morning club. He was a former member and past president of the United Givers Fund of Boone County, life member of the northern Illinois Podiatry Society, Former Board member of the Rockford Chapter of the American Red Cross, Former member and past member of the Board of Directors for the Belvidere Chamber of Commerce, member of the Rockford Writers Guild, and a free lance writer of magazine articles and periodicals for many years. He received the Belvidere Chamber's "Doctor of Civic Betterment award in 1968. Doc was a close friend of former band leader, Wayne King, and brought him to Belvidere 10 different times for fund raising efforts in support of the re-building of Highland Hospital, the Y.M.C.A. and other Rotary charities. Doc was a nephew of the noted poet and biographer, Carl Sandburg, and wrote about and lectured on the Sandburg family, and his famous uncle. Doc was a graduate of Galesburg High School, class of 1933, and a graduated of the Illinois College of Chiropody, Chicago, class of 1941. He was in the Army Medical Corp during World War II, serving in both the Pacific and Atlantic Theaters. Survivors include his wife Janet of Rockford; stepdaughter, Pamela (Daniel) Norton of Belvidere, IL; stepsons, Dr. Ted (Paula) Johnson of Warrenton, VA, and Brian Johnson of Henderson, NV; seven step grandchildren, Elizabeth and John Norton, Ted, Jr., Ryan and Nicole Johnson, Todd and Jeff Johnson.He was predeceased by his parents, first wife and brother Charles Sandburg.

A memorial will be established in his name.