Robert J. Poshard
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Robert J. Poshard, Colonel, United States Army (Retired) died at his home in Springfield on April 16, 2009.
He was born Sept. 27, 1933, in New Haven, son of the late Robert Steward and Lorene Cathy Poshard. He married Kay Rider in New Haven, Aug. 3, 1958.
Robert began his military career as an enlisted man, serving two years in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955. He attended Southern Illinois University from 1955 to 1958 and was principal and basketball coach of Concord Grade School. He earned a bachelor of science from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and a master of arts degree from Central Michigan University. He returned to active military duty during the Berlin Crisis in 1961, and completed Infantry Officers Candidate School in 1962. His military education included Aviation Flight Training, Advanced Officers Course, Command General Staff College and the Army War College.
His military assignments included tours of duty in Korea and as an aviator in Europe and Vietnam. After service as an Army Aviation School instructor, he returned to Vietnam as a battalion commander. He was a professor of military science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, from 1978 to 1982, and achieved the rank of Colonel in 1983. He retired from active military duty in 1989 with 18 military awards including the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross and three Bronze Stars. He is a member of the Infantry Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame.
Upon his retirement, he continued to serve veterans in Illinois, first as the Veterans Coordinator for the Secretary of State, and then as Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs from 1990 to 1994. He was a member of the VFW, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, the Ridgway Masonic Lodge No. 816 A.F. and A.M. and the Scottish Rite at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.
Colonel Poshard is survived by his wife, Kay, and their three daughters, Jennifer Jennings, her husband Martin, and their sons Robert and Andrew, of Spooner, Wis., Stephanie Eckels, her husband Christopher, and their daughters Brittney, Elise and Amy of Champaign and Melissa Kettler, her husband Bruce, and their daughters Lydia and Lily of Woodbury, Minn.; his brother James O. and wife Ruby of Equality.
Arrangements are under the direction of Bisch Funeral Home West 2931 S. Koke Mill Road, where visitation will be from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, 2009, until time of services there at 3 p.m. Sunday. Rev. Dr. Roger S. Ross will officiate with special music selection by Rev. Bob Swickard. Visitation will also be held for Robert will be held from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Monday, April 20, 2009, at the Union Ridge Presbyterian Church near New Haven. Masonic rites will be held at 11:30 a.m. by the Ridgway Masonic Lodge No. 816. A graveside service will follow with the Rev. Ernest Essary officiating. New Haven American Legion Post No. 1141 is in charge of military rites. Burial will be at Union Ridge Cemetery. Vickery Funeral Chapel in Ridgway will be in charge of local arrangements. Internet condolences may be sent to the Internet sites www.vickeryfuneralchapel.com or www.mem.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Memorial Home Hospice.