WICHITA — Roy “Miles” Rickart, 88, of Wichita passed peacefully on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at the home of his daughter, Mandy Pilla, with his son, Mike, by his side.
Miles was born on Jan. 21, 1936, in Topeka to Roy and Evelyn Rickart. He grew up in Lyndon, surrounded by lots of extended family and friends. He was a three sport letterman at Lyndon High school, graduating in 1954.
In the third grade, he met his wife, Myrna Dusenbury, and they dated through high school and college. After high school, Miles (and Myrna) attended the University of Kansas. They married in the fall of their senior year in college and lived in the married student housing on the KU campus. He graduated in 1958 and started a career in Chanute as the sophomore Spanish teacher at Chanute High School. In the early 1960s, he received his master’s degree in Spanish from Emporia State University and attended Pittsburg State College over the years, receiving numerous endorsements on his teaching certificate. In the late 1960s, Miles became the vice principal at CHS, then principal in the early 1970s.
The mid-1970s were a difficult period in education as administrators and teachers tried to keep kids interested in school while also fulfilling state mandates for mandatory attendance through senior year. In an attempt to keep kids from dropping out, Miles and Larry Nelson (vice principal at the time) developed and wrote a new curriculum called The Chanute Plan. They shortened class times and gave inventive names to English literature, history and science classes. While the curriculum was met with much skepticism and some criticism in Chanute, Miles and Larry were invited to many different school systems all over the U.S. to present their new idea. In 1983, Miles stepped down as principal and accepted a position with the ANW Co-op as the gifted educator/coordinator for area schools. He ended his career at Iola High School teaching sophomore Spanish, as he had started.
While in Chanute, Miles and Myrna became involved in Camp Hope where they spent numerous summers with children suffering from cancer, helping them to enjoy camp life in the middle of their health battles. Miles became the activity director and Myrna the chief cook. Because of their dedication to Camp Hope, they became deeply active with the American Cancer Society and helped the yearly Relay for Life in Chanute get its start, along with many different fundraising events.
In 2000, Miles and Myrna moved to Kimberling City, Missouri, until Myrna’s death in 2015. After, he moved to Wichita to be near his daughter.
Miles had a true affinity for kids, especially those in high school. He could talk to anyone and could weave some magical tales that enthralled more than one acquaintance along the way. He leaves behind too many friends to mention, including many former students. Please know that he loved each and every one of you and was worried about what he was going to miss in your life when he was gone. Among those who held a special place in his heart are Nancy Carl and her sons, Steve and Todd, Steve and Tamra Slane, Sue Haight and his friend Gayle.
He is survived by his daughter Mandy (John) Pilla, Andover; a son, Mike (Kristine) Rickart, Aurora, Colorado; grandchildren, Tony (Meg) Pilla, Andover, Nick (Rene) Pilla, Wichita, Jake (Taryn) Rickart, Denver, Colorado, and Lucy (Ta’Jae) Orendorf, Lone Tree, Colorado; nine great-grandchildren; and a brother-inlaw, Marty Chaisson, Wichita.
Miles was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Myrna; and his sister, Betsy.
Once when walking through a cemetery looking at old gravesites with Myrna, he read the following inscription: “Gabriel blew his horn and the angels were glad. The gates opened wide, and in walked Dad.” He promptly told his kids that this is what he wanted on his gravestone. So here you go Dad!
