Richard “Dick” “Wolffmeister” Wolff
Richard E. “Dick” “Wolffmeister” Wolff, a man who loved people, sports and who never saw a stranger, passed away after a long battle with lung cancer at home in the arms of Jesus on Sunday, July 11, 2021 at age 83.
He is survived by Gail (nee Mersinger), his beloved wife for 39 years; three daughters: Jennifer Hope (George) Winkeler, Eleanor Constance Query, Elizabeth Wright Fish; eight grandchildren, two great grandchildren, nieces, nephews; great nieces, great nephews, and many, many friends and business associates. Dick was preceded in death by his oldest daughter Pamela Jeanne Yeaple, parents Robert T. and Grace (Ward) Wolff, stepmother Mary Threnn Wolff, a sister Barbara Jean (and the late Edwin K.) Pope and brother Robert T. (Nancy) Wolff, Jr.
Dick Wolff started his working life in the printing business at the age of 9 on a small-job printing press in his basement and later worked summers during high school and college at Western Publishing Company (formerly Wolff Printing Company). Wolff was one of only three printing companies in America to print the color maps for the “theatres of operation” in World War II. His father Robert T. Wolff had a Top Secret security clearance and was General Manager at Wolff Printing in St. Louis. In 1946, Dick’s uncle John M. Wolff, Jr., founded the Defense Mapping Agency which was headquartered in St. Louis.
A graduate of Brentwood High School, he went on to receive his BS degree in Business Administration at the University of Missouri in Columbia. While there he was a member of Delta Sigma Pi (business fraternity) and the Society for the Advancement of Management.
After graduation, Dick began his career at McDonnell Aircraft Corporation where he wrote Company policies and procedures. During these three years (1960-62), he worked with top management and met all seven of the original astronauts.
In November 1962, Dick joined Monsanto Company as a Micrographics Analyst. Over the next 7½ years, he took responsibility for their Corporate Records Management program; Office Systems; Office Copier Services, Office Machine Maintenance and office Supplies. When Dick left Monsanto, he managed six functions and 55 employees.
In May 1964, he attended a two-week Conference on Information & Records Management in Washington, DC. The American University and the National Archives & Record Service co-sponsored this “Records Management Institute” for attendees from all over the world. Dick was selected its President and was asked to give a keynote presentation at the final banquet. Dick was Charter President of the St. Louis Chapter of the American Records Management Association in 1966-67 and was presented the national “Records Manager of the Year Award” in 1970; and was designated Certified Records Manager (CRM) in 1977. He was also active in the Administrative Management Society, winning both their Merit Award and Diamond Merit Award and served as AMS President in 1977-78. He became a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) in 1981.
After leaving the corporate life and forming Wolff & Associates, Dick provided records and information management consulting services to firms large and small, public and private in St. Louis and the surrounding areas for the next 35 years (1971-2005). During this time and over 35 years (1966-2000), he also taught four different evening courses at Washington University in Records Management; Management Information Systems; Administrative Office Management; Enterprise Operations & Organization. He was often called upon to give keynote speeches and conduct seminars around the country in his areas of expertise to 35 different professional organizations; American Management Association seminars; Washington University; St. Louis Community College; and University of Missouri, St. Louis.
Dick’s many organizational, civic and recreational accomplishments include: Association of Records Managers & Administrators National Board 1967-70; National Micrographics Association Charter President 1968-69; Administrative Management Society President 1977-78 & Awards; Mid-St. Louis County Jaycees President; Claymont Association President (twice); Gateway Insiders businessmen’s networking club President; Ballwin City Alderman 1973-79; inducted into the Gold Medal Society at the University of Missouri in 2009; 1904 World’s Fair Charitable Foundation Board 2003-2012; Softball – 6 titles; Bowling – 3 titles at McDonnell & Monsanto; Tennis – 10 titles – Claymont Bath & Tennis Club Team; Golf – Won 4 tournaments and 2 runner-ups; Pocket Pool – Won 5 tournaments.
In the early nineties, Dick and Gail took up ballroom dancing, winning several dance contests; and Dick was named “King of the Black & White Ball” during their 2009 Trans-Atlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2. He never missed an opportunity to have fun with everyone around him. Over the years, Dick and Gail enjoyed cruises and traveling, having vacationed in all 50 states. Dick has visited some 44 State Capitols and Washington, DC.
In his later years, Dick became somewhat of a sports guru providing his family and friends with ongoing detailed statistics on the status and progress of his favorite teams (Mizzou, St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Rams and St. Louis Blues). He also published for them the Wolffmeister All-Time-Great Sports List.
Services: Funeral Mass at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, Ellisville, Monday at 10:00 a.m. Interment St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery, Troy, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Visitation at the Schrader Funeral Home and Crematory, 14960 Manchester Road at Holloway, Ballwin, Sunday 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. and at the church Monday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the mass at 10:00 a.m. Friends may sign the family’s on-line guestbook at Schrader.com.
