Dr. Richard M. Place

Dr. Richard M Place, 66, of Lake St. Louis, MO passed away Monday, Nov. 4, 2013. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013 at the Baue Funeral Home. A time of visitation will be held from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Baue Funeral Home on Friday the 8th of November. Loving husband of Lynn Henry Place; beloved son of the late Cecil VanDorn and Ella Estelle Place; devoted father of Richard Henry (Kellie) Place and Ethan (Jamie) Place; cherished grandfather of Ella Mae Place; dear brother of Dennis (Lily) Place, Rosanne (Doug) Williams, and Martha Place; loving son-in-law of Arthur E. (Joyce) Henry; loving brother-in-law of Drew (Sandy) Henry and Mark Henry; beloved uncle of James Williams, Brook Henry, and Lisa Hough.
Dr. Place was born Mar. 11, 1947 the son of Cecil and Ella (Redick) Place in Flint, MI. He attended and graduated from Lesterville High School located in Reynolds County, MO. In 1965 he attended Southeast Missouri State University and graduated with a degree in Education. On Aug. 9, 1969 Richard was united in marriage to Lynn Henry, his high school sweetheart from the age of 16. The couple celebrated 44 years of marriage together this past August.
Richard was employed at Charleston High School from 1969 to 1973 as a Social Studies Teacher and later employed at Columbia Rock Bridge High School from 1973 to 1976 as Social Studies Teacher and Assistant Football Coach. While in Columbia, Richard earned his Specialist Degree in Educational Administration. Richard was employed at Pleasant Hope from 1976 to 1977 as High School Principal. In 1978 Richard moved to Desoto, MO and took the position of Principal of Desoto High School. In 1978 he moved to Purdy, MO where he took the position of District Superintendent of the Purdy School District. While in Purdy, Richard attended the University of Missouri - Columbia where he received his Doctorate in Educational Administration. Richard moved to Lake St. Louis to become Assistant Superintendent of the Wentzville School District. While at Wentzville, Dr. Place served as President of Rotary. He helped form the Missouri United School Insurance Council (MUSIC), a non-for-profit insurance company for school districts of Missouri. What started with only a few schools grew to include over 466 public school districts and community colleges. To date, MUSIC has saved local communities millions of dollars in insurance costs. Richard was active in the First Baptist Church of Wentzville, serving as Chairman of the Building Committee. He was looking forward to being involved in building a new facility at Arnhart Baptist Church in Purdy, MO where he and Lynn were members.
Dr. Place retired from the Wentzville School District in 1999 and was a professor at Lindenwood University until 2005.
In retirement he and Lynn traveled and spent much time with friends. Richard enjoyed many days afield with family and friends fishing and hunting, both locally and internationally. He enjoyed spending time with his granddaughter, Ella, making homemade ice cream and roasting the largest marshmallows they could find. He and his son, Richie, were avid fans of Joplin Eagle High School Football where his son, Ethan, is the Offensive Coordinator and teaches Social Studies at the high school.
Through serving many school districts of Missouri, his local churches, and civic activities, Dr. Place forged many close friendships that he valued greatly and lasted throughout his life.In lieu of flowers, Dr. Place requested that Memorials may be made to Arnhart Baptist Church Building Fund of Purdy, MO.