In Memory of Richard St. Pierre, Long-Time Board Member of Wyoming Catholic College
It is with sadness that the Wyoming Catholic College community learns of the recent passing of Dr. Richard St. Pierre. His beloved wife, Peggy, notified us this morning that “Dr. St. Pierre passed into the living arms of Our Lord at 10:02 last evening. He was loved and admired by those who knew him and will be truly missed.”
Dr. St. Pierre graduated from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in 1961, where he was President of the Student Council and Student Association (as well as a member of New England championship basketball team). After graduation, he taught high school and coached basketball in Watertown, Connecticut. In 1962, he taught in the Pittsfield, MA school district while working on two masters’ degrees as a recipient of two National Science Foundation scholarships. Dr. St. Pierre received his masters’ degree in Biology from St. Joseph’s College in W. Hartford, CT in 1965 and his Masters in Geology from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y. in 1966. In 1966, he began teaching sciences full time at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, MA where he also started an environmental program and was the Dean of Admissions. In 1971, Dr. St. Pierre was named Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs becoming the Dean five years later at Bristol Community College in Fall River, M. In 1972, he was appointed by the Massachusetts Governor to the Board on Vocational Technical Education.
In 1976, he received his doctoral degree in higher education management from Nova. Southeastern University in Davie, FL., following which he was named interim President of Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, MA. While at Quinsigamond he received several commendations among which were one from the Advisory Board of Quinsigamond Community College for,”re-establishing a stimulating learning environment with laudable efficiency and a generous compassion for all constituents,” from the Faculty Association for “his leadership,” and from the Massachusetts Board of Regional Community Colleges for “A gentleman with strong leadership and compassionate service with integrity and wisdom.” In 1980, Dr. St. Pierre moved with his family, wife Margaret and their four daughters age 14-18, to Wyoming to become the President of Central Wyoming College in Riverton, WY, where he drew upon his expertise in off-campus learning systems of which he had published several articles. While at CWC he founded Wyoming Public Television and secured the funding for the Arts Center and acquired the horsemanship facility for the Equine, Rodeo and Outdoor Leadership Programs. He was also appointed by the Governor of Wyoming to the Board of Vocational Technical Education. Dr. St. Pierre left the college in 1983 to pursue other endeavors. Dr. St. Pierre always felt very fortunate to have been able to be in on the ground floor in planning three colleges.
In 1983, using his degree in Geology, he, with his wife as his partner, took his first company public on the Vancouver, B.C. stock exchange followed by a second the following year. Both were mineral exploration companies, which held several properties in both the U.S. and Canada. Dr. St. Pierre has served on the Board of Directors of several companies both public and private. Following the market crash of 1987, Dr. St. Pierre worked out of Manhattan as well as Gothenberg, Sweden to help bring Swedish businesses public in the U.S. In 2005 Dr. St. Pierre was appointed to the Board of Wyoming Catholic College by Bishop Ricken, where he served until his death in 2021.
Please keep Dick, his wife, and his whole family in your prayers during this sorrowful time.
Eternal rest, grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
