Richard and Kathleen Larsen Black
Richard A. Black is the son of a very successful educator, Warren M. Black, a 1948 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. Richard was born in Ironton, Missouri, and attended primary and secondary schools in Irondale, Hillsboro, Desoto, Herculaneum and Cape Girardeau. Following graduation from Cape Central High School, he entered Southeast Missouri State University in 1962, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1966. While at Southeast, he was a member of Cardinal Key and was student body president for the 1965-1966 term. Richard is also a 1997 recipient of the Alumni Merit Award.
Richard taught mathematics at Ritenour Senior High School in St. Louis County from 1966 until 1969, when he was drafted into the United States Army. In 1971, he entered graduate school at the University of Missouri-Columbia and earned a Master’s Degree and advanced graduate work in Higher Education Administration.
In 1973, Richard joined the administrative staff of the Meramec Campus of St. Louis Community College in Kirkwood. Advancing through a 26-year career at Meramec, he served as Associate Dean for Continuing Education and Dean of Instruction. In 1992, he was named President of the Meramec Campus. He retired in 1999.
He currently resides in Farmington, Missouri. Richard has two children, both of whom are teachers in St. Louis County Schools.
Kathleen Larsen Black was born in Tacoma, Washington, where she finished her high school education. She married and moved to the Los Angeles, California area where she raised both her own two children and four brothers and sisters who lost both parents while in their youth.
She became single and, with the need to raise her children and siblings, she took a job in the medical collections business where she was very successful, even without formal post high school education. She later formed her own medical collections business which eventually employed a number of people and again was successful. While in California, she served on the Advisory Board of the California Medical Association.
Kathleen eventually sold her business and moved to Missouri in 1985. In or around 1995, she formed a new small business in real estate property development and rental. She operated this successful business until her death in 2007. In 2002, she married Richard A. Black who operated the business until sold in 2013.
Kathleen was a consummate entrepreneur and, through her life, demonstrated the willingness to take risks, work hard and to develop successful small businesses.