Richard L. Gerstner, age 75 years, of Raritan Township, NJ, died suddenly on Monday, August 15, 2022, at Hunterdon Medical Center, Raritan Township, NJ.

Born in Dayton, OH, April 14, 1947, son of the late Richard and Emma Jean Kerns Gerstner, he was raised in Beaver Creek, OH, and had lived in the Flemington, NJ, area for more than forty years.

After a year of college at the Dayton Art Institute, he was drafted into the United States Army in 1966. Richard served one tour in Vietnam and ended his service in Boulder Springs, CO, where he was honorably discharged in 1968. After a short return home to Ohio, he packed up his Volkswagen and moved to The Big Apple, New York City.

Always having an artistic eye, Richard would find employment at TV Star Parade and later at Newsweek magazine, where his work as a graphic designer would get him noticed quickly. With a keen design aesthetic, Richard’s work had the ability to elevate the corresponding article and draw the reader into having a more overall robust experience. He would have a twenty-one year career with Newsweek, retiring as an Associate Editor.

Newsweek would prove more than just a job and income for Richard, as it was there where he would meet Ms. Laura Laraine Leecock, who herself was enjoying a productive career at the organization. The two became friends and very quickly, love blossomed. Laura credits the adage of “opposites attract” as the key to their long relationship. “We simply balanced each other,” Laura says, “we gave each other strength where needed and respected one another.” Joined in marriage on February 20, 1983, at Clover Hill Reformed Church by Rev. Jack Cherry, the couple was proud to have celebrated thirty-nine years of marriage and were looking forward to their forty-year milestone; one which the family will still celebrate, as love, true love, simply can never die.

Richard fiercely loved his two children, Katrina and Richard J., who made their father proud not only by their successes, but more importantly by their character. He was also an extremely proud grandfather whose legacy will live on through the next generations.

A prolific artist, Richard was well known as, “The Color-Blind Artist” and had many exhibitions over the years. From photo silkscreens to pen and ink drawings, Richard’s art was truly eclectic, and one could see his persona in each of his pieces.

In addition to his art, he was a longtime radio talk show host with WDVR radio in Delaware Township as well as the Hunterdon County Chamber Radio where he also managed the station for a period of time. He was known for relevant and fun programing that focused on people and the community. Richard’s artistic persona shone through in this form of art as well, and he greatly enjoyed writing various radio shows over the years.

Author, Historian, and Poet Aberjhani once wrote, “To create art with all the passion in one’s soul is to live art with all the beauty in one’s heart.” If these words are the barometer of a compassionate person, it can and will always be said of Richard Gerstner that he was truly a master of his craft.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his mother-in-law, Janet Leecock.

Surviving are his wife, Laura; his daughter and son-in-law, Katrina and Brandon Baxley and son, Richard Jun Gerstner; his grandson, Riley Baxley; his step grandchildren, Nathan Holder, Caden Baxley, and Mason Baxley; his siblings, Sue Gerstner, and Allan Gerstner; his father-in-law, Thomas James Leecock; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Thomas David and Debra Leecock, William Leecock, and Cynthia and John Rovnak; several extended family members; and many dear friends.

All are invited to join the family for a gathering on Saturday, September 17, 2022, from 2:00-4:00 p.m., in the Chapel of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.

United States Army honors, followed by a life celebration service officiated by Rev. Jack Cherry, will take place on Saturday, September 17, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Again, all are welcome to attend. 

Interment will be private.

You are encouraged to visit Richard’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a candle of hope, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of his life.

Memorial contributions in Richard’s honor may be made to Clover Hill Reformed Church, via mail to 890 Amwell Road, Hillsborough, NJ 08844, or online by clicking HERE.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”

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