Dr. James Dennis Laster
Dr. James Dennis Laster, retired attorney and professor emeritus of St. Louis, MO and Jacksonville Beach, FL passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on May 23, 2023, at the age of 75. Dennis was born November 12, 1947, in Jefferson City, MO. He was the eldest son of Francis M. Laster and Helen M. (Lutkewitte) Laster.
Known to all as “Dennis,” he graduated from McAuley High School in Joplin, MO where he excelled in academics and made many lifelong friends. He went on to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Missouri State University in Springfield, MO. In 1969, he enlisted in the United States Navy where he served as a Cryptologic Technician at the Naval Security Group in Augsburg, Germany. Dennis was honorably discharged in 1973 and continued as part of the Naval Reserve. Upon his return to the states, he quickly jumped back into academia attending the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, MO where he earned a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice, and Ph.D. from the University of Southern Mississippi, in Hattiesburg, MS.
Dennis joined the faculty of the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Central Missouri, where he swiftly rose through the ranks to department head. It was during this time he made the decision to take a break from teaching to attend law school. He was accepted to the University of Missouri Law School in Kansas City, MO. He graduated and passed the bar exam in 1986. Shortly thereafter, he married Dorothy Smith and resided in Harrisonville, MO where they raised two girls, worked hard, and played harder together for many years.
After a long and hard-fought campaign, in 1987, he was elected Cass County Prosecuting Attorney, a position he held for 8 years. While in Harrisonville, he was active in politics, serving as the delegate to the Missouri Democratic Convention in 1992. He was a member of the Rotary Club and served as emcee at many Cass Regional Hospital functions. He campaigned for Circuit Judge of 17th district in 1994, and upon his unsuccessful bid, he returned to University of Central Missouri where he held a tenured career as a Criminal Justice professor. During this time, Dennis served as an advisor to the Pre-Law Student Association and the Mock Trial Team. He served on the board of directors for many professional organizations including the American Judges Association and worked with the Missouri Municipal and Associate Circuit Judges Association and Missouri Supreme Court. Continuing his calling as a public servant, he served as the Municipal Judge for Knob Noster, MO.
He married Judy Rosine Kendrick of Knob Noster, Missouri in 2007. When Dennis retired from the university, he and Judy fulfilled their dream of living in Florida and moved to a new home in The Villages, FL where they enjoyed many days of sunshine, playing pickle ball, golfing, and spending time with friends and family. In 2013, Judy and Dennis relocated to Jacksonville Beach, FL to be closer to Mayo Clinic where Dennis had a double lung transplant in 2011.
Dennis was an avid runner, golfer, tennis player and scuba diver. He was a sailor, beach lover and bona fide Parrot Head. A true humanitarian whose kindness, and passion for justice and equality is his legacy.
Dennis is preceded in death by his parents, stepson Christopher Reed Kendrick, and grandson Gavin Kendrick. Dennis is survived by his wife, Judy Rosine Kendrick Laster of St. Louis, MO, his brother Jackie Dean Laster of Jacksonville, FL., his children Shawn Kendrick (Andrea) of Webster Groves, MO, Lesley Matthews (Scott) of Olathe, KS, Charlotte Matthews (Patrick) Grand Rapids, MI, Ashley Kendrick (Sarah) of Leawood, KS and his grandson Shaun Reed Kendrick (Cory, Cherice, Caleb, and Mason Hendershot) of St. Louis, MO and eight grandchildren.
Services will be at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville, MO on June 30th at 3:00 PM. Celebration of Life following the service will be held at Player’s Restaurant in Warrensburg, MO starting at 4:00 through 8:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the University of Central Missouri or Ocean Conservatory.
My Best Man. I have had hundreds of men friends in my 76 years but no one stands at the front of the line like my old friend Denny. Fortunate you are if someone like him crosses your path. Not sure I have any left who I could call at 3 AM and ask for help. Denny would be there. No questions asked. We laughed together. Cried together. Studied together. Fought political campaigns together. Began married life together. Even though he is physically gone no one can take those memories away from me. The world’s a better place for his having existed here.
My oh my oh, my what a guy! I only knew Dennis after he moved to Valencia in Jacksonville Beach to be near Mayo Clinic. He soon was a fixture with our infamous “pit crew” who hung around the fire pit in the afternoons, drinking a variety of adult beverages and bantering about well… Just about everything! And no one laughed louder or cheered harder than Dennis when he won a “left right center“ dice game on Friday night! What a treasure of a man and he will be sorely missed by so very many people! RIP, my dear friend, and blessings to all of your family!