Richard "Dick" Joseph Smolczyk

Richard "Dick" Joseph Smolczyk, age 90, of Cameron, Missouri passed away on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at 2 p.m. at White Chapel Cemetery in Gladstone, MO, with a celebration of life to follow at the family home in Liberty, MO. Please come and celebrate with family and friends and share stories and memories. To obtain the address of the family residence, please call Church Archer Pasley Funeral Home at 816-781-2000.

Richard (Dick) Smolczyk was born May 9,1934 in Bruel, NE to Joe and Lois (Mong) Smolczyk. He attended St Joseph’s Military Academy in Hays, KS and after graduation he joined the US Air Force. After leaving the Air Force he returned home to work the family dairy farm until he left for Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, OK. After graduating with his A&P Certificates in Aircraft repair he moved to Salina, KS to run the local airfield maintenance facility. While in Salina he met the love of his life LeeAnn (LaRocque) at a local café where she was waiting tables while attending college. They met and were married a short 11 days later and remained married for 51 years until her passing in 2017. After their wedding Dick and LeeAnn moved to the Kansas City area, and he went to work for TWA as an aircraft mechanic and union steward until he retired after 28 years. Dick raised a family, went to work, supported his friends and neighbors, and followed his faith, giving so much more than he received.

Dick passed away peacefully at the Cameron Missouri Veterans Home on Wednesday January 15, 2025, surrounded by friends and family. He was preceded in death by both his parents, his two sisters, his wife LeeAnn, and daughter Aimee. He is survived by his two sons, Rick (Karen) Smolczyk of Mapleton, IL and Rob (Sam) Smolczyk of Liberty, MO; his three grandsons, Tyler (Dawn) Smolczyk of Peoria, IL, Nate Smolczyk of Peoria, IL, and Chase (Brianna) Strantz of Canton, IL; and one granddaughter, Madison Strantz, 1LT US Army, of Ft. Cavazos, TX.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, please donate to a local charity of your choice. Dick always supported the Special Olympics, St Jude’s, and the Catholic church but believed that charity always began at home. As a family we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Cameron Missouri Veterans Home for the care and love they showed our dad. There are some true angels working at that facility and each and every one of the staff has a special place in our hearts.