Randall Dwight Oestreicher

Randall Dwight Oestreicher, 81, of Overland Park, KS, died on December 23, 2023, at his home. A memorial service will be held on January 6, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS. Cremation. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Village Presbyterian Church or St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Kansas City, MO.

Randall was born in Albany, NY on July 6, 1942. He attended Cambridge Central School in Cambridge, NY, and was graduated in 1960 from Northfield Mount Hermon School in Gill, MA. He received his bachelor’s degree from Union College in Schenectady, NY, his master’s degree from the University of Kansas and in 1982, he received his Ph.D. in political science, also from the University of Kansas. His area of interest was Cold War Poland, so he learned Polish and lived there for two years. After receiving his doctorate, he became the head of the medical education department at a hospital in Jacksonville, FL. He eventually returned to Kansas and began his consulting business, Northstar Business Resources, LLC.

He was proud of the fact that he edited three books on such diverse topics as stained glass, Chinese foreign policy, and political change in the Soviet Union from Tsarist times to 1970. He was almost equally proud that he attended the Newport Folk Festival when Bob Dylan transitioned from acoustic to electric guitar. He attended three Indy 500 Memorial Day auto races, and watched a manned space launch from the VIP area at Cape Kennedy, FL.

In October 1970, he married Susan Woodside, who passed away in December 2002. In February 2005, he married Elizabeth Reefer and became the stepfather of two boys, James B.G. Reefer (Erica and their son, Jack) and George T.H. Reefer (Hannah Lambert). He was preceded in death by his mother, Carolyn Randall Oestreicher, his father, Irving Clayton Oestreicher, his stepmother, Esther C. Oestreicher, and his much-loved black labrador, retriever, Charlie. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth, stepsister, Debbie Stone, sister-in-law, Patricia Knabe, nieces Rachel Christy, Becca Bryan, and nephew Jesse Roth.

Randall engaged in many diverse activities and served on many boards, too many to list in full. He adored his two nieces and his nephew, all of whom called him Uncle O. He loved travelling and visited all 50 states. He happily travelled with Elizabeth on Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir tours to Dublin, Wales, Birmingham, Oxford, Wells, Bristol, Exeter, Worcester, and Norwich, during which he attended almost every rehearsal and every Evensong. Elizabeth and Randall also enjoyed visiting Italy with the Village Church choir. He visited his beloved Scotland several times.

Randall served as a Deacon and Stephen Minister at Village Church. He loved his Movie Group, his Friday coffee friends, working out with Carl, his International Relations group, and music.

Randall was kind, principled, intelligent, funny, literate, supportive, and sweet. He led a life full of love, meaning, happiness, and adventure. He is and will be dearly missed by his family and friends.