Dirk Mol

Dirk Vermeer Mol was born on September 27, 1946. He was named Norman James by his parents, a name that, in later years, didn’t strike him as Dutch. He changed it at age 50 to Dirk Vermeer. He died on November 7, 2024 in the Meadowbrook facility at Clark-Lindsey Village. He is survived by Jerald (Jerry) Wray, his partner for the last 24 years, son Andrew (Radhika Dhingra) and grandson Rohan, his son Greg Russo (Michelle) and granddaughters Faye and Sasha, and his brother Ken. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, his parents, Neal and Lydia Mol, and by his sister Connie Kamer.

He graduated from high school in Hamilton, Michigan, and from Hope College in Holland, MI in 1969, and went on to earn masters degrees from both Union (1973) and General (1990) Theological Seminaries in New York, and a Pastoral Counseling Certificate (2001) from Loyola of Maryland.

He was ordained as an Episcopal Priest in 1976 and served in various parishes in New England and was the director of a church camp (Camp DeWolf) for a little over a year.

He left the church after 20 years to take up psychotherapy, serving as intake person for a group practice in Maryland for a few years, and opened a private practice when he moved to Champaign to be with the love of his life, Jerry Wray. They were married in Iowa City, IA in October of 2009.

In addition to his professional life, he worked with many others in Champaign County Design and Conservation Foundation to establish the Kickapoo Rail Trail, worked with others in Heartland Pathways to preserve rail corridors and establish bike paths west of Champaign and then continued when HP merged with Friends of the Kickapoo Trail to become Trails of the Grand Prairie. That work is being carried on by others.

He and Jerry spent many hours in canoes, on bikes, and hiking in places near and far, and went on small boat cruises where snorkeling was possible.

They were passionate supporters of Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, of Dance at Illinois, and spearheaded an effort with Krannert Art Museum to buy a portfolio of prints by a transgender artist from St. Louis.

There will be a celebratory memorial party in late spring or early summer.

Memorial contributions may be made to Krannert Center for the Performing Arts or to Dance at Illinois through the University of Illinois Foundation, or to Trails of the Grand Prairie.

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