Looking back at local notable deaths in 2024

The year 2024 has seen many notable deaths of Southeast Missouri figures.

Here are some other notable deaths Southeast Missouri has witnessed in 2024.

Scott Amick

Scott AmickSubmitted

Scott C. Amick, 66, of Scott City died March 24.

According to his obituary, Amick was an owner/partner of Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapels with Mark S. Amick and Jack Leslie Burnett. He also served as Scott County coroner for 35 years and was president of the Missouri Coroners and Medical Examiners Association.

Amick was a fourth-degree Knight of Columbus who also served on the Scott City Board of Education for 20 years.

He was born Sept. 25, 1957, in Cape Girardeau and married Leann Miller on Nov. 10, 2011.

Dan Cotner

Dr. Dan Cotner smiles for a portrait Dec. 20, 2021, at Chateau Girardeau in Cape Girardeau.Aaron Eisenhauer ~ aeisenhauer@rustmedia.com, file

Dentist and "Cape Girardeau's own River City Music Man" Dr. Dan Cotner died June 15 at 101 years old.

Cotner graduated from dental school at Saint Louis University after coming back from his service in World War II. In 1958, Cotner bought shares from retiring dentist Dr. A.J. Rasche's dental office building, owning the building in partnership with Dr. Del Brunton.

Cotner relocated his office in 1988 to the Medical Arts Building, where he worked with his son Dr. Paul Cotner, and then was also joined by his daughter Dr. Danna Cotner.

Cotner was well known for his passion for music and played the trombone for the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band for 77 years.

Cape Girardeau Municipal Band director Neil Casey described him as kind of the "spirit of the Municipal Band".

"He literally lit up any room he went into with both his personality, his smile and his positivity. He was a man that was surrounded by music, and everything good about it," said Jay Knudtson, executive vice president of First Missouri State Bank and former Cape Girardeau mayor.

Mary Kasten

Southeast Missourian assistant publisher and general manager Lucas Presson, left, and publisher Jon K. Rust, right, honor Mary Kasten with the newspaper's Spirit of America award in 2014. Kasten, who died Oct. 12, received numerous awards and accolades during her lifetime for her service to the community.Southeast Missourian file

Former Missouri House of Representatives member Mary Kasten died Oct. 12 at the age of 96.

Kasten was a longtime Cape Girardeau Board of Education member and she was first elected to the board in 1961. She served on the board for 20 years, including taking roles such as president, vice president and treasurer.

Kasten also served on the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents from 1979 to 1982. After serving on the board, Kasten took on a larger political role as she was elected to the 159th District of the Missouri House of Representatives in November 1982.

Former Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder said that people had never seen a member more beloved on both sides of the aisle as Kasten.

Buck McNeely

Buck McNeely, producer of "The Outdoorsman" television series, died Jan. 7. He was 63.Southeast Missourian file

"The Outdoorsman" TV series producer Buck McNeely died Jan. 7 at 63 years old.

McNeely's show appeared on more than 500 TV stations in the United States. The show was produced in McNeely's home and office in rural Cape Girardeau County. The program included a blend of travel and tourism as well.

McNeely was born in Cape Girardeau and began his show as a Southeast Missouri State University college project. McNeely said in a 2014 Southeast Missourian interview that he developed his love for hunting when he started off hunting birds in the backyard.

Buck's son Max McNeely compared his father to "Superman" in a Facebook post announcing his father's death.

"His motto was always 'Live Large', and he truly lived larger than anybody I know, and I will continue that legacy in his honor like he always wanted," Max McNeely wrote in the Facebook post.

Dale and Linda Nitzscke

Dale F. Nitzschke served as president of Southeast Missouri State University from 1996 to 1999. He died Oct. 17. Southeast Missouri State University

Former Southeast Missouri State University president Dale F. Nitzschke and his wife, Linda, both died unexpectedly in October.

Linda Nitzschke died Oct. 12, while Dale Nitzschke, 87, had been hospitalized for an infection and died Oct. 17.

Nitzscke's tenure as president lasted from 1996 to 1999. According to an article about Nitzschke, his work was "instrumental" in securing government and private funding for projects such as the development of the Polytechnic Institute and Cape Girardeau's River Campus.

Art Wallhausen served as the assistant to six of SEMO's 18 presidents, including Nitzschke, and said he was a "visionary leader" for the university.

"One of my colleagues says she remembers the day he saw a 'for sale' sign on the deteriorating Vincentian seminary property and immediately came back to the office and contacted the realtor. He then started the difficult process that led to completion of the beautiful River Campus eight years after his departure, under the leadership of his protégé, Dr. Ken Dobbins," Wallhausen wrote to the Southeast Missourian.

Harry Rediger

Mayor Harry Rediger does not use his gavel while closing his first City Council meeting April 9, 2010, as city manager Scott Meyer reacts.Southeast Missourian file

Former Cape Girardeau mayor, longtime JCPenney store manager and community volunteer Harry Rediger died Sept. 22 at the age of 86.

Rediger held various positions on community boards throughout his years as a civil servant. Former Mayor Jay Knudtson said that no one else is more worthy of being called "Mr. Cape Girardeau" than Rediger.

Rediger was a native of Seward, Nebraska, and managed the JCPenney store in Cape Girardeau for 20 years.

Knudtson convinced Rediger to run for mayor after Knudtson fulfilled his terms.

"And so over the course of many meetings and perhaps even a few gin and tonics, he decided that he was going to run. And the greatest gift, probably of all that I've had professionally was the fact that I prevailed in getting him to run for mayor because he was a wonderful mayor,” Knudtson said.

Rediger took part in establishing to the Transportation Trust Fund before he was mayor. He was also able to "spearhead" bringing the casino to Cape Girardeau.

"It single-handedly has been the catalyst for the redevelopment of our downtown. And so between the improvements that have been made at the north end of town where the casino is, it's had a ripple effect to the whole downtown," Knudtson said.

Rediger died while serving on the Transportation Trust Fund 7 committee.

Lisa Reitzel

Lisa Reitzel sings the national anthem to open the Veterans Home Flag Day Golf Tournament on June 9, 2017, at Bent Creek Golf Course. Reitzel, the Cape Girardeau County public administrator, died April 13 at the age of 55.Southeast Missourian file

Cape Girardeau County Public Administrator Lisa Reitzel died after a heart attack April 13 at the age of 55.

Reitzel served as public administrator for the last 11 years. Cape Girardeau County Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy described Reitzel as a "dedicated and passionate public servant" in a news release.

She won a 13-candidate Republican primary bid for the public administrator position in 2012.

Chairman of the Cape Girardeau County Republican Central Committee Matt Henson said Reitzel displayed many talents including her rendition of the national anthem.

"She was a light to many people, touched many lives and will be sorely missed," Henson said.

Gary Schaaf

Gary SchaafSubmitted

Former Perry County Sheriff Gary Schaaf died at the age of 67 on Aug. 19.

Schaaf was first elected to serve as sheriff in November 1992 and retired from his post at the end of September 2022. Perry County Sheriff Jason Klaus said Schaaf was "the ultimate public servant".

"He started as a deputy early on, and then he was the chief of police of Perryville for a little while and then he ran for sheriff of Perry County," Klaus said. He also said Schaaf was a leader of the law enforcement profession in Perry County and the city of Perryville.

Schaaf he served as the city of Perryville's chief of police from 1986-1992. Detective Amber Crites said Schaaf was known for "his presence in the county".

Crites described Schaaf as a proven and trusted leader over his several-decade run as sheriff.

Paul Schnare

Paul Schnare on Dec. 17, 2019, at Sunny Hill Gardens & Florist in Cape Girardeau. Schnare died Aug. 20 at age 79. Southeast Missourian file

Florist Paul Schnare died Aug. 20 at the age of 79.

Schnare owned Sunny Hill Gardens & Florist with his wife, Marilyn, from 1992 to 2022 in Cape Girardeau. Schnare was known as "Dr. Grow", a pseudonym he used for his weekly gardening column in the Southeast Missourian.

Michael Aide, a friend of Schnare's and Southeast Missouri State University agriculture professor, said his friend always "saw the glass as half full".

"He had children. He had extended family, and everybody was close. I know Marilyn, his wife, and they were a very loving couple. They attended church together, they were very religious. He was a person that you could point to as a solid participant in your citizenry as well, and he was well admired for that," Aide said.

Schnare played the clarinet and bassoon in the Cape Central Band and orchestra as well as playing the saxophone and bassoon with Mizzou's band and orchestra on a music scholarship. After Schnare finished his service after being drafted in the U.S. Army in 1969, he earned a master's degree and doctorate in plant physiology and biochemistry.

Schnare also taught agriculture classes at SEMO from 2006 to 2010.

Bill Stacy

Bill StacySubmitted

Former Southeast Missouri State University president Bill Stacy died at the age of 85 on Jan. 4.

The president served the university from 1979 to 1989, with many of his actions laying the foundation for the present fixtures of the college. Former SEMO assistant to the president Art Wallhausen said Stacy's work with the Show Me Center and Student Recreation Center was among the most notable in his career.

In Stacy's time, he also helped transition SEMO's athletics from Division II to Division I. Carrol Williams, who held coaching positions, at the university said Stacy took a big part in talking to various communities about the change.

Stacy started at SEMO as a student, then professor in the school's speech department, dean of graduate studies, and, finally, as university president.

Wallhausen recounted Stacy being a great orator and never needing a script on any occasion.