Richard Harold La Rue

Richard Harold La Rue, age 90, died peacefully surrounded by family on March 4, 2025. Richard, known to friends and family as Dick, was born in Hopkins, MN on August 23, 1934. He spoke fondly about growing up in Minneapolis.

Dick served in the Marine Corps from 1953 to 1955. In 1957, he married his wife, Marilyn, and soon after welcomed four children. The La Rue family moved around the country, living in South Dakota, Minnesota, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, and Colorado. In 2000, Dick and Marilyn relocated to Melbourne, Australia, for his work, coinciding with the time when one of their sons and his family also lived there. They enjoyed numerous trips around Australia with their children and grandchildren before returning to the United States.

An athletic young man, Dick participated in golf, basketball, and softball. He set a record in 1957 for the most home runs in a season, hitting 20. His love for golf continued throughout his life, and he became an accomplished racquetball player, winning several tournaments.

In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Dick was a lifelong learner with a successful career. He earned a BS in Mathematics from the University of Minnesota, an MA in Mathematics from the University of South Dakota, and a PhD in Behavioral Science from Nova Southeastern University. He worked in various occupations, including middle school math teacher, National Science Foundation fellow, university professor, and Director for various telecom companies. Dick was also an early adopter of cutting-edge technology and established the computer center at the University of South Dakota in the 1960s. In his 70s, he began exploring art and photography. Dick often remarked that he didn't know what he wanted to be when he grew up, always finding new topics to explore.

Dick was imaginative, humorous, and a fantastic storyteller. He entertained his grandchildren with made up stories and formed friendships with the staff in his care facility until his final days. He was always up for sharing snacks like popcorn and chocolate. Although M&Ms were his favorite, he loved offering everyone Spam and sharing facts he learned at the Spam Museum.

Spirituality was important to Dick, and he was a devoted member of the Benet Hill Monastery, where he became an Oblate. Through his Oblate studies, he developed a "Way of Life" that emphasized the values of kindness, gentleness, and understanding, encouraging everyone to "build bridges, not walls." Dick will be dearly missed, and his legacy will continue as we all strive to embody his principles.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Mildred and Harold, brothers Robert and John, son David, and grandson Anton La Rue. He's survived by his wife of 66 years, Marilyn; children Chuck, Mary (Alex), and Julie (Adam); daughter-in-law Lisa, 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; and sister Jeanne Dunphy and nieces and nephews.

The memorial service will be held on March 15 at 2 p.m. at the Benet Hill Monastery, 3190 Benet Ln, Colorado Springs, CO, with interment at the monastery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the monastery in Dick's memory. Giving to Benet Hill Monastery: https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/benet-hill-monastery/benet-hill-monastery-donation-form