Graefe, Richard A. “Rick” Friday August 9, 2024. Beloved husband of Mary Beth Graefe (nee Munn). Dear father of Matthew (Felicia) Miller, Mason (Carrie) Miller and Meghan Miller. Dear grandfather of Mariah and Magnolia. Dear brother of Susan (Jim) Griffard and Beth (Tom) Nault. Our dear brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend.
Memorial visitation at Kutis South County Chapel 5255 Lemay Ferry Rd. Saturday August 24, 12:00 noon until memorial service at 2:00pm. Service concludes at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions to Cardinals Care or the Peregrine Society appreciated.
My sincere sympathies to your family. I worked with him at Fresh Thyme. He was an outstanding human. We would talk sports together and he was great with listening to me talk about my children and their sporting events. I will greatly miss him.
Brian Fisher – friend
Mary Beth, we are praying for you & the kids & family during this sad time in your lives ❤️🙏💙
I was the football coach at Parkway North High and became friends with Rick as he was the photographer for the Suburban Journals. What a very kind man and a true professional. I am sorry to hear of his passing.
Bob Bunton
I have heard many fond memories of Rick’s work and relationship with you! Thank you for your kind words.
God bless the soul of my Delta Tau Delta Fraternity brother. My condolences!
From the time I started at the Suburban Journals in 1987 until I retired in 2000, Rick was always my fiercest ally. He either was or wasn’t! He made me feel welcome from Day 1. Rick just asked you to respect others, yourself and your work. This is a huge loss for anyone who knew him, and reminds me what a hole each person leaves. So glad, though , to have known Rick Graefe.❤️
❤️ Thank you, Stephanie.
I was Journal sports editor 18 years and he truly was one of our talented, gifted photographers.
His work was excellent and he was one of the really good guys.
I had the great fortune of working with Rick at the Suburban Journals for many years. An excellent photographer … an even better human being. God bless Rick and the Graefe family.
Rick is the perfect friend. I do not write in the past tense because friendship is eternal. Each of us has one perfect friend in our life and he is it. I miss Rick but I know he’s in good hands with God in heaven.
It was a blessing to know Rick through his many ‘seasons.’ Photographer of wins and losses in others’ lives and believer in the odds of living his own, he quietly learned to expand his own heart to be welcomed by Mary Beth and those who would love him closely. He was a good son and brother, relished his role when he took on his new family and never forgot all those he respected and who respected him.
Rick was a blessing to all who got to know him. His photography is a wonderful record of who he was. His technical skills were certainly superior, but it was his capacity to capture the humanity in the moment that made his photography so special. For Rick it was always about the people. He looked through the lens of his heart before he ever snapped the shutter of his camera.
Rick was a great friend and co-worker at the Journals as well as an opponent in the Bush Fantasy Baseball League. What a true professional, patiently explaining his photography choices. I got to work closely with him when our offices were in Creve Coeur. I got to understand his commitment to work and his great sense of humor with his co-workers. Very faithful to his photo staff and all of the reporters and editors. A fabulous work ethic. Very few like him. God bless him and his family.
Rick and I worked together at the Suburban Journals and I can only think and say good things about him … funny, friendly, enormously talented. One of the good guys, for sure. The news of his passing is tough to hear. My condolences to his family. RIP, Rick.
Sorry for your loss you all are in our thoughts today Praying for you all. ❤️🙏
A great shooter, an even better human being.
Rick was a great boss for me at the Journals. There was always great support among all of the photographers that worked there. And Rick was so even tempered, just a wonderful guy for whom to work. This is a sad loss for all who new him.
Knew him….