Richard "Kent" Gummerman Obituary (1943

Richard “Kent” Gummerman, born June 9, 1943, passed away on March 4, 2026, following a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s disease. His loving wife, Verma, was at his side. Kent was born in Bloomington, Illinois, on June 9, 1943, to Bernard H. Gummerman and Hilda J. Ragan Gummerman. He graduated from Bloomington High School in 1961 and earned a Ph.D. in Psychology from Stanford University. Kent married Roberta Diane Rehker. She preceded him in death in 2010. Together they had one son, Geoffrey Kent Gummerman, who resides in Austin, Texas. In addition to his son, Kent is survived by his wife, Verma, of Bloomington; two stepdaughters, Sarah Lowrey, Iowa City, Iowa, and Lori Lowrey, Bloomington; his brother and sister-in-law, Kurt and Martha Gummerman, Bloomington; one niece; two nephews; six great nieces; and one great nephew. Kent spent most of his professional life in Austin, Texas. During his tenure at the University of Texas, he authored nineteen academic papers that received more than 250 citations. He later worked as an independent policy analyst for the State of Texas and retired in 2009. An avid runner, Kent trained for and completed in several marathons. He was also passionate about football. Along with his son, Geoff, who served as Head Coach, Kent served as the Offensive Line Coach for Austin’s Outlaws Women’s Football Team, a long-running, full-contact women’s tackle football team. He approached coaching calmly with a genuine curiosity and a deep investment in how each player learned and stayed motivated. When news of his passing spread among former players, words such as “patient,” “kind-hearted,” “caring,” – and most often “how lucky we were” – were shared in tribute to Kent about the impact he had on their lives. After Kent’s retirement, he renewed a high school friendship with Verma Rediger Lowery which blossomed into a loving marriage of the past 11 years. They enjoyed their years together spending winters at their home in Green Valley, Arizona, entertaining friends and family over one of Verma’s home-cooked meals, and serving their church, Living Hope Christian Church in Downs, Illinois. Kent was a keenly intelligent man with a quiet, thoughtful manner. He was content to step back and enjoy Verma taking center stage with her extroverted and affable nature. The quote, “the ones who move gently through the world leave deeper footprints than the ones who shout” seems especially fitting for Kent. He was loved and will be missed by all who knew him. A graveside service will be held in the future. Memorial contributions may be made in Kent’s memory to OSF Hospice or the Humane Society of Central Illinois.