Richard Kerber

DR. RICHARD KERBER

Iowa City

Dr. Richard E. Kerber,

77, of Iowa City, died Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics after a short illness.

A memorial service will

be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, at Agudas Achim Congregation, 401 E. Oakdale Blvd., Coralville, with Rabbi Jeff Portman officiating. Burial will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, in Cedar Park Cemetery, Paramus, N.J., where Richard's son, Rabbi Justin Kerber, BCC, will officiate.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Richard Kerber Project Art Music Fund to help support music at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, c/o the University of Iowa Foundation, P.O. Box 4550, Iowa City IA 52244, or to American Civil Liberties Union, either directly or c/o Lensing Funeral Service, P.O. Box 167, Iowa City IA 52244.

Richard was born May 10, 1939, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the son of Max and Pauline (Altein) Kerber. He graduated from Forest Hills High School in Queens, N.Y., in 1956 and from Columbia University in 1960, the same year he married Linda Kaufman Kerber, now a retired University of Iowa professor of history. Richard earned his medical degree from New York University in 1964. After an internship at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, he joined the U.S. Army Medical Corps and served two years as a captain in a mobile surgical unit in Vietnam, earning the Bronze Star in 1968. Upon his return, he completed his medical training at Stanford University Hospital and joined the University of Iowa's medical faculty in 1971, eventually becoming director of echocardiography, heading a fellowship program and serving a term as interim chief of the cardiology division.

Committed to caring for his patients, Richard also pursued research on cardiac defibrillation and resuscitation -- the use of electric therapy to treat cardiac arrest or heart attacks. He authored more than 250 articles, two books and more than 330 abstracts. He served as president of the American Society of Echocardiography.

His awards included in 2001 the American Heart Association's Scientific Councils Distinguished Achievement Award.

Richard also was a devoted clarinet player and bicyclist, participating in several orchestras and chamber music groups, and countless RAGBRAIs. He was a member of Agudas Achim Congregation.

Surviving are Richard's wife, Linda; son, Ross and wife Nancy of Hingham, Mass.; son, Justin and wife Hope of St. Louis; grandchildren, Hannah, Ruthie, Elijah and Daniel; and his brother, Melvin Kerber and wife Cheryl of Queens.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.lensingfuneral.com.