Richard E. Tyler

Richard E. Tyler was born in East St Louis, IL on February 26, 1938 and passed peacefully in his sleep on February 21, 2023.

Richard graduated from East St. Louis High School in 1956, and met the love of his life, Susan Keller Tyler, while he was working at the Federal Reserve Bank in St Louis and couldn’t take his eyes off the girl who delivered his mail. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in December 2023.

Coming from a family of restaurateurs, he tried his hand in the family business, operating a restaurant in the first skyscraper in St Louis, the Wainwright Building, in the 1960’s. He then became a milkman, driving a truck for both Pevely and Sealtest Dairies in St. Louis. His passion for a paint brush was discovered later in life, and it never left him. He worked in his business until his death.

Tyler Painting recently celebrated 55 years in business and is carried on by his son Stephen. This tradition made him extremely proud. Rich loved life, the St. Louis Blues, the St.  Louis Cardinals, Kauai, and his family in that order. He loved people, he talked to everyone and knew everyone’s name. Richard was meeting new people and loving every minute of it, with a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face until his last day. He was very proud of his family and his 2 new great-granddaughters.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Curtis and Justine Emma, nee Krause Tyler; and his daughter-in-law, Stacy Tyler.

Richard is survived by his wife, Susan Harriet Tyler, nee Keller; his children,  Sherrie Tyler (Anthony) Joseph of Pocatello, Idaho, Kerrie Tyler (Scott) Cruikshank of Waterloo, Illinois, and Stephen Richard Tyler of Fairview Heights, Illinois; his loving grandchildren, Laramie (Michael) Church, Sheridan (Kolton) Joseph, MD,  Griffin (Autumn) Joseph, Petty Officer First Class E6, Cole (Tori) Cruikshank, Chase (Kate) Cruikshank, and Caden (Marissa) Cruikshank; his great-grandchildren, Ava Cruikshank and Josephine Church; and his brother-in-law, Gary M. Keller.

Cancer took Rich’s life too soon and he never stopped fighting. We are hoping he is catching a big fish right now and trying to tell you all about it. We will miss him forever.

Memorials may be made to the Prostate Cancer Foundation: www.pcf.org. “Every 3 minutes a man will be diagnosed with prostate cancer.”

A private service was held at Kassly Mortuary, Ltd., Fairview Heights, IL with a burial in Lake View Memorial Gardens, Fairview Heights, IL.

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