Richard served his country during World
War II as a Navy junior officer aboard a
destroyer in the Pacific Theatre then worked
from 1945 to 1960 for the Atlas Powder
Company. In 1960 he went to work as a
professor of Mining Engineering at the
Missouri School of Mines & Metallurgy (MSM)
which later became the University of
Missouri at Rolla (UMR). He taught there for
26 years. He was also Chairman of the School
of Mining Engineering at Michigan Tech in
Houghton, Michigan, for one year; and, he
taught short courses relative to rock
mechanics and explosives all over the world
throughout his Mining Engineering career. He
earned his Bachelor of Science and Masters
of Science from Penn State University and
his Doctors of Philosophy in Mining
Engineering form the University of
Minnesota.
In 1987 he retired from teaching and
moved with his wife Agnes to Mountain Home,
Arkansas. In 2004, he moved to Springfield,
Missouri. He loved to garden, read and
travel – and to meet people of all walks of
life. He will be missed by all who came in
contact with him.
He was preceded in death by his parents,
his wife Agnes B. (Mulligan) Ash in 1997,
two sisters, Peggy Paige (Ash) of Oakland,
California and Marjorie Ann Ash of Oakland,
California, and two brothers, Sam Ash of
Butte, Montana and Jim Ash of Denver,
Colorado.
He is survived by his three daughters -
Barbara Ash-Streit of Las Vegas, Nevada;
Rebecca (Ash) Schmickle & her spouse Larry
Schmickle of Republic, Missouri; and
Kristinia Ash-Piccinni & her husband Tony
Piccinni of Wildwood, Missouri; and his
three sons - Richard L. Ash Jr. of St.
Charles, Missouri; Dr. Stephen Ash of
Greensboro, North Carolina; and, Dr. Peter
Ash of Sacramento, California. He is also
survived by one sister, Betty (Ash) Graham
of Santa Rosa, California, 16 grand
children, 16 great grand children and a host
of other relatives, friends and past
students.
An online memorial may
be signed at
www.walnutlawnfuneralhome.com. Donations
may be made through Walnut Lawn Funeral Home
LTD and made out to the Missouri University
of Science & Technology’s Mining Engineering
Department Development Fund to used for
student field trips and competitions in
memory of Dr. Richard L. Ash Sr.
