Robert Dean Rich, Colonel, USAF (Ret.), age 81, of O'Fallon, born December 2, 1942 in Jefferson City, Tenn. passed away Saturday morning, June 1, 2024 at St Elizabeth Hospital, O'Fallon, Ill. while holding hands with his wife and daughter.

Dean was a lifelong member of Bean Station First Baptist Church. He attended O'Fallon First United Methodist Church where he was a member of the Fellowship Sunday School class for the past 20+ years. He graduated from Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, Tenn. and worked for Magnavox before entering the Air Force through Officers Training School in May of 1967. He retired as the director of Supply, HQ Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill. in June of 1993. In 1997 Dean began working for the City of O'Fallon as the temporary Director of Finance and was later appointed as the first Director of Finance for the City of O'Fallon. He served the city for 15 years before retiring in January 2013.

Dean was a devoted collector of Abraham Lincoln memorabilia and antique toys. In the September 2023 Antique Week, a weekly antique auction/collecting newspaper, a front page article featured his collection of toy airplanes ranging from pre-WWII through the 1950s. He was an avid reader of the news and well-known as a "political junkie" who would happily engage anytime anyplace.

Outside of Dean's lifelong dedication to serving others in the military and the community, he was known to his grandchildren as Papa Dean. In his own quiet way, each of them over the years was lovingly given nuggets of wisdom worth more than gold. The name Dean can almost not be said without "and Judy". She was his wife of 43 years but also was his best friend, travel partner, grand conversationalist over the kitchen table and the true love of his life.

In addition to family, Dean was an unwavering constant in many lives.  He was a quiet voice of reason, and many have said to family, "You have no idea what he did for me."  He did for others what he considered a repayment for what many had done for him. Most importantly, the sacrifice of his savior so that he will live eternally with Christ.

Dean was preceded in death by his parents Robert Lloyd and Ora Katherine Rich.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Judy, daughter Trina (Jack Aaron) Wier and their children Jack Dean and Lincoln Wier of Lewis Center, Ohio; son Brad (Nicole) Lane and their children Katie, Connor and Grace Lane of La Quinta, Calif.; brother Keith (Gail) Rich and their children Jenny (David) Seibers and Beau Rich all of Bean Station, Tenn.

Memorial donations are suggested to St. Jude Children's Hospital or to O'Fallon Food Pantry.

Visitation: 4 – 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at Wolfersberger Funeral Home, O'Fallon, Ill.

Graveside Service: Procession will depart funeral home at 10:15 a.m., Thursday, June 6, 2024  for an 11:00 a.m. graveside service with military honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, Mo.