The following obituary was provided by Mary McCammon Mathews on June 27, 2023:

Richard D. Gerber passed away May 29, 2013, at his home in Auburn Wyoming after a brief and courageous battle with cancer. His family and loved ones were by his side. He was born August 29, 1949, in Soda Springs, Idaho to David and Illa Gerber. He was the oldest of three children. Richard has a younger brother and sister that are twins.

He was raised on a family farm in Montpelier, Idaho and loved every aspect of farm life. He graduated from Montpelier High School and attended Idaho State University and graduated with a degree in Heavy Duty Diesel Mechanics. Richard fulfilled an LDS Mission in the Alaska British Columbia Mission. He loved and respected the natives there and loved working with them. He had a deep love for the gospel and had a strong testimony of it. He held various church callings and was a member of the Seventy.

Richard married Joy Johnson of Grace, Idaho on September 10, 1976, in the Logan LDS Temple. They have one son, Jeremy, who was not only a son but a best friend. Richard worked as a diesel mechanic at Stauffer Chemical in Leefe, Wyoming, and worked several years at the coal mine in Kemmerer. At the time of his death he was employed at JR Simplot Smokey Canyon Mine where he had just received his award, on May 8, 2013, for 30 years of service. Richard loved farming and was happiest when he was out running the farm equipment. He enjoyed his job at Simplot as a loader operator and he loved running all types of equipment (the bigger, the better). He loved getting firewood for the winter and his idea of a vacation was going in the hills camping and getting wood. He loved his tractor, and you would often see him out and about tilling gardens for neighbors and friends, cleaning ditches and plowing snow.

During the past few months, as he has been in and out of the hospital, his family was told he was an excellent patient. The doctors and nurses all commented on how patient and kind he was, doing anything they ask and never asking for much. He was in good spirits and never lost his patience or sense of humor.