Dr. Willard “Ray” Rhine passed away on January 3, 2018. He was born on September 17, 1933 in the Sand Ridge Township of Jackson County, Illinois to Leonard and Geneva Pearl (Clover) Rhine. Both parents, and his sister Wanda (who was a few years younger) preceded him in death. She was his only sibling.

Ray grew up in Murphysboro, IL where his parents had been lifelong residents. At the age of four, he was enrolled in the one-room school close to his home. His mother was a strong advocate of education and filled Ray’s days teaching him new words, which became his life. He was taught early on the value of reading. By the time he was six, he had completed all the readings at the school. The family then moved to Granite City, Illinois. His mother took him to his new school and enrolled him in the 4th grade, after a compromise that it would be a trial basis. He handled the reading requirements easily but needed tutoring in math. He thrived in school and the family eventually moved back to Southern Illinois where he enrolled in the ninth grade.

Ray graduated high school and enrolled at Southern Illinois University when he was 16 years old. He majored in History, earning mostly “A’s” on his work. He attended SIU for two years and then spent a year at Greenville College. He returned to SIU for his final year and graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in 1954. He enrolled in the graduate program for History, earning a Master of Arts in 1957 (with a 3.95 GPA) and then enrolled in the Rehabilitation Counseling program in Psychology, earning a Master of Science degree in 1960, both at SIU. He worked as a school psychologist for five years before enrolling in the PhD program at The University of Texas, Austin. He stayed on the faculty for one year at UT Austin. He did his post doctorate work at Stanford where he spent an additional four years working at the Stanford Research Institute before returning to Missouri where he became a Professor at the University of Missouri St. Louis (UMSL).

Ray’s career highlight was being honored as a Senior Fulbright Scholar to Denmark for the academic year 1993-1994. He was featured on this in the UM St. Louis Magazine Winter 1996 Issue. Vol. IV NO 1. (pg. 18-21). Ray also produced the book “Making Schools More Effective: New Directions From Follow Through” in 1981. He additionally was very inspired and proud of the research he did with his UMSL friend and colleague, Dr. Steven D. Spaner.

Ray was fortunate enough to have invested well early in his career, which enabled him to establish gift annuity-scholarship endowments at three of the universities he was connected with, now known as the Rhine Family Scholarship Endowment. Ray saw this as a way to say thanks to his mother, who wanted more for her children, and to repay her.

He spent many of his later years in Creve Coeur, MO; and enjoyed living at Brookdale Independent Living for two years, prior to moving to Brookdale West County Assisted Living in September 2016. He was very pleased and comfortable living there, but after experiencing some falls during Thanksgiving 2017, he went to Delmar Gardens Chesterfield for Rehabilitation. An unfortunate decline in health sent him to SLU Hospital in December, followed by a return to Delmar Gardens for Nursing Care for one week where he passed peacefully.

He leaves to cherish his memory and selfless giving, his Life-Long Special friend and Care Manager, Dr. Earline Butler; the Butler family who were his “family” and who often visited with him and loved him dearly, especially Michael Butler Sr. (Cleola), Doris A. Gray, Garland Keith Butler (Sandy), Darrell Butler (and daughters, Kai-Lee and Zoie), Sean Butler, dear colleague, Dr. Steven Spaner, and close friend Gary Bogue who gained Ray’s confidence by assisting and following through on all his final wishes for the scholarship endowments.

Memorial celebration to be held at a later date at UMSL.