Richard Edward Gertsch, of Houghton, Mich., formerly of Boulder, died of natural causes Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, in Virginia, Minn. He was 60.

He was born Feb. 21, 1945, in Oak Park, Ill., to E.A. (Dick) Gertsch and Mildred Strnad. On June 5, 1988, he married Leslie Sour in Longmont.

Mr. Gertsch graduated from the University of Colorado with a history degree and completed the Navy ROTC program. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in mining engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, where he worked as a professor. He lived in Boulder from 1990-94.

He taught at the University of Missouri-Rolla, where he earned a Ph.D. in mining engineering, before going to Michigan Technological University to work as an associate professor. At the time of his death, he was working in Minnesota on a research project for the United States Department of Energy, and was a Research Associate Professor at Michigan Tech.

He was in the Navy from 1969 to 1972 and retired as a captain. He served in the Vietnam War.

He had a lifelong interest in space exploration and enjoyed reading about history, taking photographs and fishing.

Survivors include his wife, Leslie Gertsch, of Rolla, Mo.; his mother, of Security; Colrado and a brother, John Gertsch, of Boulder, Colorado.

He was preceded in death by his father.

A memorial service is being held on September 9 in Colorado Springs.