James Richard

https://youtu.be/TP9qhSPflsc.
On June 9, James S. Richard passed away from declining health issues. Jim was born on April 9, 1937 in Gary, Indiana where his father, Albert, was a highway engineer for the state of Indiana. Jims mother, Estella, had been a teacher at Horace Mann High in Gary till her marriage.
Late in World War II, Jims father volunteered for the US Army and was assigned to Kansas City to coordinate troop movements through the Union Station. Following the war, Jims father became a valued civil engineer for Black and Veatch and the family set down roots in Kansas City where Jim attended St. Francis Xavier Grade School and Rockhurst High.
After two years at Rockhurst College, Jim joined the Jesuits in St. Louis. He was ordained in St Louis on December 5, 1970. Jims Jesuit career led him to a Ph.D in Latin American Economics from the University of Texas, Austin. He learned Spanish while living in Mexico City, spent two years studying theology at the Jesuit University in Bogata, Colombia and lived in San Salvador, El Salvador at the Jesuit University while working on his Ph.D dissertation. At that time, he knew Archbishop Oscar Romero, now Saint Romero, who would often visit the Jesuit residence at the Universidad Centroamericana. He also lived with the five Spanish Jesuits who, in 1989, were murdered along with their housekeeper and her daughter under orders of the then Salvadoran president Alfredo Christiani. The loss of these Jesuit friends indelibly imprinted Jims life.
Jims teaching career in economics was primarily at Regis University in Denver. In the 1990s, Jim left the Jesuit Order but continued teaching at Regis retiring with the distinction of Professor Emeritus.
In 2012, Jim moved to the Kansas City area to be near family and friends. He leaves his younger sister Nora Ellen Richard, step sister-in-law Nadine McGurren (deceased husband Ed McGurren,), step-brother Thomas McGurren of Dallas (wife Patricia), and each of their sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, and grand and great grandchildren.
Jim will be remembered for his compassion, deep spirituality, wit, and the many entertaining stories of his Latin American adventures.
Thank you to Advanced Home Health and Hospice for their kind support and professional care during the last few weeks of Jims life.
Visitation will be held from 10-11 am, Wednesday, June 22nd followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 11 am at Cure of Ars Catholic Church, 9401 Mission Rd, Leawood, KS. Inurnment will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. No flowers. Donations in his memory can be made to Advanced Home Health and Hospice and Regis University in Denver, CO.


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Visitation
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Cure of Ars Catholic Church 9401 Mission RoadLeawood, Kansas 66206

Directions
Mass of Christian Burial
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Cure of Ars Catholic Church 9401 Mission RoadLeawood, Kansas 66206

Directions
Inurnment