Dr. Richard Spano
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Dr. Richard Spano, PhD, LCSW, age 79, passed away on Sunday, May 19, 2024 while leading a study abroad trip in Italy for students of the University of Kansas, School of Social Welfare.
Rick was born on August 10, 1944 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Pearl and George Spano. He married Pennelton Anne Ford on December 30, 1967 in Tracy, Minnesota. He received his BS from St. John’s University in Minnesota, his MSW from St. Louis University in Missouri, and his PhD from the University of Minnesota. Rick was a Captain in the US Army Medical Corps in San Antonio and El Paso, Texas, where he treated veterans returning home from the war in Vietnam. Eventually, he and Penny moved to Lawrence, where they raised their family, and where he worked at the University of Kansas for almost 50 years.
Rick’s life was defined by his love and devotion to his family, by his role as a teacher, and by his gift as a healer. These defining characteristics led to his service on boards and to numerous organizations which served the most vulnerable among us, including Trinity Foster Home in Lawrence. Rick was a champion for others, and remained steadfastly committed to furthering that mindset in the next generations.
Rick is survived by his mother Pearl, wife Penny, son Jake Spano (Cate McDonald), daughter Kate Spano, and grandchildren Mia and Flynn Spano, Camden Spano-Lund, and Leo and Lillian Carnahan. He is also survived by his sister Yvonne (Don) Carlton, his brother Donald (Cindy) Spano, cousins, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial services for Rick will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 29, 2024 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W 13th Street, Lawrence, Kansas. Private family inurnment will be held at Pioneer Cemetery in Lawrence.
In loving memory of Rick, the family is asking for memorial gifts to be made in Rick’s name to support the new Youth Recovery Center at Bert Nash Community Health Center in Lawrence. This new program will provide essential mental health services and crisis support for children, teens and families. Memorial gifts can be made at http://www.bertnash.org/donate or mailed to 200 Maine St, Suite A, Lawrence, KS 66044 and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.
I had Rick as a professor at the University of Kansas when I was obtaining my MSW degree. I found him to be a candid, honest and passionate advocate for social work as a profession and for the clients we serve. He was truly an authentic representative for helping people and I consider him a positive influence in my own development as a social worker. His passing leaves an absent voice in our profession.
I’m in the unique position to have had Rick as a professor in his first year at KU, as a travel companion with Penny, my wife Debbie along with other couples to several destinations in Mexico and Jamaica, as a fellow supporter of KU Tennis, as a golf buddy where we knew and loved him as Rocco, as a neighbor and as a valued friend. He was one of a kind and will be missed by many. Our sincerest condolences to Penny, Jake, Kate and all the extended families.
Ron and Debbie Miller
Rick was my advisor during my undergraduate studies in social welfare and provided me the vital guidance and support I needed to graduate. His influence made a better person and social worker. Rick did so much good in this community for students, challenged kids, and his fellow social workers. He was just a great man, father, grandfather, husband and mentor, and I will always keep great memories of him in my mind and heart.❤️
I’m so sad and upset to hear of Rick’s passing. I met him during the MSW program’s trip to Italy last summer and was immediately humbled by how insightful, hilarious, and down-to-earth he was. I’m so grateful to have been able to meet and learn from him when I did. My condolences to his family, he has touched SO many people’s lives and his absence is definitely felt.
My deepest sympathies Penn, Jake and Kate and family. Rick once told me a story, of fishing, with his grandfather. He said that whenever he would miscast, tangling his line into a birds nest. His grandfather would calmly and “without words” hand him his rod. Rick would continue fishing and his grandfather would untangle the line. He told me this was how his grandfather taught him patience.
This was my experience of Rick as a mentor and a healer. He would give me a rod, and I would fish. With time and space, and of course patience I learned to find my own way. I learned how to unravel my own birds nests. I will forever be grateful for his gifts, he will be missed.
I offer my heartfelt sympathies to you, the family that Rick loved so deeply; Penn, Jake, and Kate. His passing will leave an empty space as huge as his heart. I had the great pleasure of being a colleague of Rick’s for 25 years while teaching at KU-SSW. I was both moved and inspired by his dedication to the profession, deep caring for others, generosity with his time and abilities, willingness to offer help when needed, courage to expose his humanness, pragmatic wisdom, and his combined gentleness and strength. He will be missed by all of us who’s lives were touched by him, and especially by you, his immediate family.
Rick depicted the social work profession perfectly with humility, compassion and hard work. I will cherish his stories and impact on our world and he will be deeply missed. He has touched so many lives and I’m so lucky to have been one of them!
Penn Jake. Kate. &. Family
Please accept Sharon & My deepest condolences for your loss of a beloved Husband Father & Grandfather. Rick was certainly one of a kind. He will be deeply missed by ALL
My deepest sympathy to everyone who knows and loves Professor Rick Spano. It was my great honor to travel with him to Costa Rica with the KU School of Social Welfare in May 2009 – in fact, it was 15 years ago to this day that we were there. Professor Spano was generous with his wisdom, time and spirit. He shepherded our group safely and spiritedly all around San Jose and enhanced our professional and personal social work skills. I am a better social worker and person for having known him.
Penny, I was shocked and saddened to hear of Rick’s passing. You were both good neighbors and I have missed seeing you since I moved. Rick amazed me at how he always moved with such speed and enthusiasm. You and the family are in my thoughts and prayers.
Angie Davidson
I am so glad to have known Rick. He had a sharp sense of humor, especially at his own expense. He was always thoughtful about affairs of today and about other people. I was one of many who played handball with him though not in his league. He was merciless but in a friendly way.
I am so sorry to hear the passing of Rick. My heartfelt condolences to Penny, Jake, and Kate. While it has been decades since I last saw Rick, I have always had fond memories of Rick and remember how much I enjoyed our times together just hanging out, talking, playing tennis, and going to Mexico. My thoughts and prayers for your family in this time of loss.
I had the distinct opportunity to be one of the students on Dr Spanos last trip to Italy, seeing him minutes before he left this world. While I only knew him for a week, the impact that he had on my life in that short period of time will be one I will never forget. To know Rick is to love Rick, and I feel truly honored to have been one of the last students who was touched by his presence. Sending love and Prayers to his family during this time.
Rick was one of my professors in my foundation MSW year in 2005/2006. I recall seeing him for the first time in a maroon track suit walking into Twente Hall and I silently wondered from which turnip truck this high school wrestling coach had fallen, certainly he had the wrong building. His affinity for these outfits was sort of his trademark, to me. I recall his gentle nature when teaching and challenging our thinking by describing our study of social work as looking at the world through a different lens and that if we found it difficult, that was a good thing. “We’ve taken the puzzle box and all the pieces and thrown them upside down!” I remember him discussing his interest in Taoism and the mindfulness and quiet of its teachings he admired. He also recounted how difficult school was for him (I can’t remember if it was dyslexia or ADD) and how he just kept working at it. The man helped us feel as though we could do it, too. His office was, at that time, in the basement of Twente Hall. The walls were covered with tall filing cabinets and his desk (there may have been two) replete with stacks of papers, books, and notes. Rick had standards for our writing but even higher were his standards for our thinking, and even higher yet for our character. He shared with us how he literally lived the social work values and how he’d had to say goodbye to certain friends and acquaintances along the way who either didn’t live those values or weren’t interested in adopting them. Rick was genuine, honest, and kind. Looking back now, he reminded me a lot of my Dad. Now that they’re gone, I can honestly say there’ll never be another two like them.
My sincere condolences to Rick’s family and Twente Hall colleagues, both active and emeritus.
Best,
Tyler Patterson, MSW (‘07)
I have the very good fortune of getting to know Rick when his son, Jake and my daughter Cate were married a quarter of a century ago, and we continued through the years to share family celebrations and adventures. I couldn’t dream of a better father-in-law for my daughter. Rick brought to our family gatherings an abundance of energy, humor, compassion, thoughtfulness and love. Lots of love. What a wonderful legacy Rick leaves to us all.
I met Rick when I was a student at KU. He treated me like a real person and I appreciated that. I loved his sports knowledge and background.Over the years I saw him at KU Social Welfare events and exchanged ideas. I will miss Rick for his knowledge, leadership, and sense of humor.Rest in peace Rick and my condolences to his family.
We only knew Rick through Jake and Cate and what they shared with us about Rick‘s character and love for his family and friends. Our hearts are with you during your time of loss and we’re grateful for the his life and love for all of you.
I only had the pleasure of knowing Rick for a very short time. He applied for a position as a therapist at Brightside Health and I was fortunate enough to be the one to interview him! We quickly connected and I was able to get to know him better as he moved through our onboarding process and began seeing patients. We, as an organization, were so lucky to have a quality clinician like himself on our team and I personally am better for having met him. Sending my sincere condolences to Rick’s family and loved ones. I will continue remembering Rick fondly and thinking of you all during this time.
Extending my condolences to the Spano family. May you all be Blessed with comfort at this time. 🙏🏾
My life has been enriched by knowing Rick as colleague and friend since I joined the KU social work faculty in 1989. I always admired the many ways he demonstrated his dedication to teaching, service, and educational administration by supporting his students and colleagues through untiring professional work infused with empathy, care, and expertise. I benefited greatly from his support and genuine interest in me as a colleague and more importantly, as a person. I especially enjoyed times together during educational activities with Rick in Costa Rica, where we had time to share many life stories full of humor and his generous laughter. Thank you, Rick.
My sincere sympathy to your family. Penny was a dear friend while we were growing up in Tracy. Please relay my condolences and love to her. I would love to see her again and give her a big hug.