R. Miles Rickart

1/21/36-11/15/36

Roy "Miles" Rickart passed peacefully on 11/15/24 at the home of his daughter, Mandy Pilla, with his son, Mike, by his side.

Miles was born in Topeka, KS to Roy & Evelyn Rickart. He grew up in nearby Lyndon, KS surrounded by extended family and friends. He was a three sport letterman at Lyndon High School, where he graduated in 1954. In the third grade, Miles met his (future) wife Myrna (Dusenbury) Rickart, and they dated through high school and college. After high school, Miles and Myrna attended the University of Kansas watching historic Allen Fieldhouse be built and sharing classes with Wilt Chamberlain. They were married in the fall of their senior year in college and lived in the married student housing on the KU campus. Miles graduated in 1958 and started his teaching career in Chanute, KS as the sophomore Spanish teacher at Chanute High School. In the early 1960's, Miles received his Master's degree in Spanish from Emporia State Teacher's College (now ESU), and attended Pittsburg State Teacher's College (now PSU) over the years, earning numerous endorsements on his teaching certificate. In the late 1960's, Miles became the vice principal at CHS, then principal in the early 1970's. The mid 1970's were a tumultuous time in education as administrators and teachers tried to keep kids interested in school with the new state mandates for mandatory attendance through the twelfth grade. In an attempt to keep kids from dropping out of school, Miles and Larry Nelson (Vice Principal at the time) wrote and developed a new curriculum called The Chanute Plan. They shortened class times and gave inventive names to English literature, history, math and science classes. While the curriculum was met with much skepticism and some criticism in Chanute, Miles and Larry presented their new idea to numerous school systems throughout the U.S. During this same period, Miles and Larry started the Ralph Miller Classic basketball tournament that CHS continues to host to this day. In 1983, Miles stepped down as principal and accepted a position with the ANW Coop as the gifted educator/coordinator for area high schools. He ended his career in 2000 as the sophomore Spanish teacher at Iola High School. He loved the Spanish language, the people and the food. After leaving Chanute, he searched high and low for an enchilada that tasted just like those at the La Rosa de Oro, but never found it.

While in Chanute, Miles and Myrna became involved with Camp Hope in w3estern Kansas, where they spent numerous summers with children (who had cancer diagnoses) helping them to enjoy camp life in the middle of health battles. Miles eventually became the activity director and Myrna became the chief cook. Because of their dedication to Camp Hope, they became deeply active with the American Cancer Society, organizing and helping to establish the yearly Relay for Life in Chanute. Miles served on the board of the American Cancer Society for several years, and the two of them spearheaded numerous different fund raising events in the Chanute area.

In 2000, Miles and Myrna moved to Kimberling City, MO until Myrna's death in 2015. After living there for a couple of years and helping at his local church food pantry, he saw a need for a much more robust offering. He became the Director of the food bank and grew the small production into a very large and busy offering for area residents, partnering with local restaurants and stores to stock an enormous variety of goods. After Myrna's death, Miles moved to Wichita to be near his family.

Miles had an affinity for kids, especially those in high school. He was a voracious reader and could talk to anyone about anything. He had some magical tales that enthralled more than one acquaintance along the way. Miles leaves behind too many friends to mention, including many former students. Please know that he loved each and every one of you and was worried about what he was going to miss in your life after he was gone. Among those who held a special place in his heart are his second family Nancy and Bill Carl and their sons, Steve and Todd; Tamra and Steve Slane; Sue Haight; Carl and Mary Sue Druart; and his Wichita friend, Gayle.

Miles was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Myrna, and his sister Betsy. He is survived by his daughter Mandy (John) Pilla, Andover, KS; son Mike (Kristine) Rickart, Aurora, CO; grandchildren, Tony (Meg) Pilla, Andover, KS; Nick (Rene) Pilla, Wichita, KS; Jacob (Taryn) Rickart, Denver, CO; Lucy (Ta'Jae) Orendorf, Aurora, CO; nine great grandchildren and brother-in-law, Marty Chaisson, Wichita, KS.

Once when walking through a cemetery looking at old gravestones with Myrna, Miles read the following inscription: "Gabriel blew his horn and the angels were glad. The gates opened wide, and in walked Dad." He promptly let us know, with typical Miles humor, that he wanted this on his gravestone. So here you go Dad!

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, December 28, 2024 at the Grace Episcopal Church fellowship hall, in Chanute, KS from 10:00am until 12:00pm. There will be no service, just come and go to visit with family. Internment will be in Lyndon, KS. Memorials to the American Cancer Society.