Richard D. "Dick" Buckridge

Richard D. “Dick” Buckridge, 86, of Maryville, MO, who in recent years divided his residence between Maryville and Mesa, AZ, died on Saturday, July 22, 2017, at the Maryville Living Center, with his family at his side.

He had spent most all his life in teaching and coaching at both the high school and University levels finishing his career serving     teachers as a field representative for the Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA).

Dick was born on April 23, 1931, in Maryville, MO, the son of Gus and Bea Byers Buckridge, who both preceded him in death.

He is survived by wife, Martha Jean (Mardy) Ingels Buckridge, to whom he married on June 2, 1953 in Maryville; and children, Cindy (and her husband Robert D. Eklund) Buckridge, Kansas City, MO, and Dave (and his wife Symantha) Valdosta, GA.  Also surviving are 4 grandchildren, Matt (Jaimee) Protsman, Blue Springs, MO, Brad Protsman, Kansas City, MO, Cpl. Brett Buckridge, Camp LeJeune, NC, and Lacey Buckridge, Valdosta, GA.

Dick attended elementary school in Burlington Junction, MO; middle school in Marshalltown, IA, and graduated from Maryville High School in 1949, following an outstanding four-year athletic career that resulted in his senior year selection as the school’s outstanding athlete with the Hooper Award and All-State first team basketball honors.

A 1953 Bachelor of Science graduate of Northwest Missouri State University, he was a four-year Bearcat basketball letterman and was the team’s captain both his junior and senior years.  He held the top scoring record for 18 years until one of his own players’, Don Sears broke the record.  He was the recipient of two all-conference selections in basketball and the Sportsmanship Award bestowed by the conference.  In recent years, Dick was selected on the first team of all Bearcat Alumni basketball players and was inducted in to the Northwest Athletic Hall of Fame.

Following service in Korea and Japan as a First Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps, he completed a Master of Arts degree at the University of Wyoming in Laramie.

His coaching career included high school service at Maryville and William Chrisman in Independence, MO.  He then moved to the college ranks at his alma mater Northwest Missouri State University, where he was the head basketball coach from 1963-71.

He then served the University with appointments as Director of Admissions and later as Assistant to the President.  He retired in 1977 from the University, and was co-owner of Coaches II Men’s Clothing Store in Maryville, before joining MSTA.

His memberships included the First United Methodist Church in Maryville; Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity; The Maryville Country Club; Lions International, Missouri Retired Teachers Association, and a member of the Moila Shrine Temple, St. Joseph, MO.

Memorial services will be at 2:00 PM, on Thursday, July 27, 2017, at the Bram-Danfelt Funeral Home, Maryville, MO.  The family will receive friends for one hour prior to services on Thursday.  Mr. Buckridge has been cremated.

Military rites will be performed at the end of the memorial service on Thursday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the St. Louis Shriners Hospital for Children, the SSM Hospice, or the First United Methodist Church, both of Maryville.

For online condolences and guest book, visit www.bramfuneralhome.com