Richard Gibson Monzingo

Richard Gibson Monzingo, 79, of Highland Park, Illinois, died on July 3, 2026, with his family close by after a long, hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer associated with the BRCA variant.

Born on August 21, 1946, to Clifford and Lenore Monzingo, Rich grew up in the Bronx, New York. It is still a wonder how this city boy ended up making his home in the Midwest. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Hunter College in New York City before attending Lehigh University as a National Science Foundation Scholar, where he earned his master’s and doctorate in marine biology.

Hunter College is where he met his wife, Roberta. After months of trying to catch her attention, he finally won her heart. They married in August 1967 and built a life together that took them from Pennsylvania back to New York, then to St. Louis, and finally to Highland Park, Illinois, near Lake Michigan, the closest thing to an ocean Rich could find in the Midwest. There, they raised their three children: Keith, Heather, and Sara Kate.

For 35 years, Rich worked in Commonwealth Edison’s Environmental Affairs Department, applying his scientific expertise to protect Illinois’s lakes and waterways. His work helped shape efforts to reduce the impact of power generation on fish populations and aquatic ecosystems. After retiring from ComEd, he continued doing what he loved with EA Engineering.

Rich liked being useful, which is a simple thing to say and a pretty big thing to be. He loved working with his hands, a gift he inherited from his father, and he and Bobbie spent years restoring their home. He could fix anything, and when he didn’t know how, Bob Vila’s books and his own intuition pointed him in the right direction. He came to love gardening and was deeply invested in whatever he had growing, whether it was a full garden near the Metra tracks or the backyard plants he painstakingly overwintered each year. He loved taking photographs in Door County and wherever he found beauty, though his favorite subjects were always his grandsons.

At home, Rich was known for making the best fried egg sandwiches (bacon grease is the key) and the best steak stir-fry. He could pack a car like a game of Tetris. He was a master of the dad joke even before it had a name, delighted his children with night swimming, and spun unforgettable tales of the lost city of Atlantis. He passed his love of science fiction on to all three of his children, and later, to his grandsons. While he did not pass along his enthusiasm for the ladies of country to all his children, he did pass along his love of music, and eventually, even an appreciation for John Prine.

Rich had time for everyone. Babies settled in his arms. Friends and family called to bend his ear, ask his advice, or just be heard for a while. He listened closely, told the truth kindly, fixed what he could, and left people feeling a little less alone.

Rich is survived by the loves of his life: his wife, Roberta (née Hodgins); his children, Keith Monzingo (Mike Robbins), Heather Monzingo, and Sara Kate Dreiling (Ken); and his grandsons, Braeden and Shae Connolly, who brought him immeasurable joy.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford and Lenore Monzingo, and his younger brother, Mark Monzingo.

A memorial service celebrating Rich’s life will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church in Highland Park, Illinois, on Saturday, July 25, at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church in Highland Park, Rich’s parish; the Basser Center for BRCA, supporting research and advances for families affected by BRCA-related cancers; or the Illinois Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, in honor of his lifelong commitment to science, conservation, and the natural world.

Arrangements entrusted to Chicagoland Cremation Options in Schiller Park, Illinois.