Richard A. "Rick" Kasper

Richard (Rick) Arthur Kasper was born in Detroit, Michigan on Friday November 28th, 1952 on a sub-freezing day, to begin a life that was full of warmth. It was the day after Thanksgiving, one of the holidays that would become incredibly special for his family. Rick was born to Arthur and Mildred Kasper, the eldest of four loving siblings including, Gary, Kathy, and John. Rick entered into God’s fullness on Thursday February 6th, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio in the comfort of his own home. He was surrounded by family after a brief battle with cancer. His presence will continue to be felt by his beloved wife Mary of 35 years, and his children Benjamin (April) Kasper, Sarah (Zachery) Wiles, and Michael Kasper. His spirit will continue to live through his grandchildren, Hadley and Gabriel Wiles, who loved their Papa dearly. He will also be remembered by a multitude of nieces and nephews who all loved their Uncle Rick.

 Rick lived a remarkably full life dedicated to faith, service, and family. His journey began at age 13 when he entered St. Francis Seminary in Cincinnati, where he excelled as a three-sport athlete and glee club member. He earned his Bachelor’s in Philosophy from Duns Scotus College in 1974, including a transformative year studying abroad at Oxford with his close friend, Henry Beck.

 After completing both a Master’s in Divinity and Master’s in Theology, Rick was ordained as a Franciscan priest in 1980. He taught at Roger Bacon High School in Cincinnati for four years before pursuing a Doctorate in Moral Philosophy at Catholic University. It was during this time that Rick felt the Lord might be calling him in a different direction. While discerning his future vocation, he worked extensively with Tender Mercies, an organization serving Cincinnati's homeless and mentally ill population.

 After leaving the priesthood, Rick met Mary in 1988. They connected on their shared Catholic faith and value system and married in 1990. Together they built a family life deeply rooted in faith. As a layperson, Rick has always been involved in parish life, first at St. Monica-St. George in Clifton and later at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Anderson Township. A model of faith, activism, and leadership for his family, he was on the Social Action Commission, the Mental Wellness Commission, and Parish Council. He was especially dedicated to the IHM’s Father’s Team, and more recently the Mental Wellness Team.

 For the last 30 years, Rick worked as a Clinical Counselor using his Licensed Independent Social Work certification. In his own words, the theme of his counseling approach was, “A deep respect for each individual person, acceptance and support of the person’s past and present struggles, and providing hope for the future.” He had a gift for reaching out to others during their most difficult times of life and could bring them comfort through his presence, listening ear, and kind words.

 Rick found real joy in fatherhood, taking an active role in raising Ben, Sarah, and Michael. He spent many hours at the park, pool, and sporting events where he was always in the front row cheering them on. He was always the “fun dad” full of life and joy. One aspect of family time he valued was vacationing as a family creating shared memories. In recent years, he cherished walking his daughter down the aisle and dancing with her on her wedding day, being here for the birth and baptism of his two grandchildren, watching Ben become a naval officer and attending his wedding, and finally sharing a passionate love for Michigan Football as well as Bengal’s season tickets with Michael.

Although Rick was thankful for his time on earth with his family, when time was drawing near for God to call him home, he reminded them, “do not be afraid, this is just the beginning”. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church on Thursday, February 13th at 10 a.m. Friends may visit at T.P. White & Sons Funeral Home, 2050 Beechmont Ave., Mt. Washington, on Wednesday, February 12th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. with the Rosary being recited at 7:30 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Catholics United for the Poor, P.O. Box 14548, Cincinnati, Ohio 45250  https://www.nfggive.org/donation/31-1150882