Saturday, December 14, 2019

Obituary -- Richard Bateman 1941-2019

RICHARD "Dick" BATEMAN died Wed., December 11, at his home in Kansas City, MO, where he had resided for twenty-eight years. He was 78.

Born Richard Allyn Bateman on January 21, 1941, in Maryville MO, Mr. Bateman was the eldest of four children of Garland and Ruth Murdock Bateman. He attended Parnell Elementary School, and graduated from high school in Ravenwood.

With a  B.A. in music education from Northwest Missouri State, Mr. Bateman made his career as a music teacher in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wyoming. The day after school started in 1979, he took a full-time position in Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, where he was band and orchestra instructor  for forty years until retirement. Among his many achievements in that district, he was most proud of the harp program he started in 1986 with only two students. The Harp Ensemble program engendered many students who became professional harpists.

He was an active member of the local Lyra Chapter of the American Harp Society, and was instrumental in forming the Kansas City Harp Scholarship, in 2013.

Per his request, Mr. Bateman has been cremated under the direction of Andrews-Hann Funeral Home, P. O. Box 147, 416 S Front St, Grant City, MO 64456.

A private memorial will be held at a later date.
Memorial donations may be made via Andrews-Hann, to the KCKPS HARP ENSEMBLE.


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