Richard E. “Rick” Frevert, 63, passed away at his home in Emporia, Kansas, on Tuesday, October 20, 2015 with his family by his side. Rick had fought a 22-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
Rick was born November 8, 1951 in Iola, Kansas, the son of Paul H. and Betty B. (Stout) Frevert. Rick married Joy Hicks at the First Christian Church, Dodge City, Kansas on June 14, 1975.
Surviving family members include his wife, Joy; son, T.J. and his wife, Lea (Schlyer) Frevert, Andover, Kansas; daughter, Bre (Frevert) Johnson, and her husband, Reese, Emporia; four grandchildren, India and Aiden Frevert in Andover, and Jayden and Jared Johnson, Emporia; one sister, Paula (Frevert) Smethers and her husband, Larry, St. Louis, Missouri; one brother, Tim Frevert and wife, Kecia, and their son Ben, Emporia; brothers-in-law, Ward Hicks (Juanita) and their sons, James and Terry Hicks, and George Hicks (Cheryl) and their daughters, Alyssa Robertson and Emily Hicks; as well as nephews, Dave, Brian, and Corey Hicks.
Rick was the oldest of three children and grew up on the Frevert family farm near Yates Center, Kansas. He graduated from Yates Center High School in 1970 and went on to receive an Associate of Justice Degree from Allen County Community College.
He was a member of the First Christian Church (Emporia). He was also a member of Emporia Masonic Lodge #12, Scottish Rite Bodies, the Arab Shriners, and the Cartoon Unit of the Arab Shriners. His other memberships included the Kansas Peace Officers Association, Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police, Neosho Valley Shrine Club, Kansas DARE Officers Association, Kansas Crime Stoppers Association, and he was a graduate of the 20th Class of Leadership Emporia, as well as being a Certified Barbeque Judge of the Kansas City Barbeque Society.
Rick was hired by the Emporia Police Department in 1972 at the age of 21. Before his retirement in 2004, Rick had worked his way through patrol officer to the rank of Lieutenant. He had taken on a number of responsibilities within the Police Department, including school resource officer, community relations officer, DARE Officer (creating the program in Emporia), Crime Stoppers Coordinator, and had also been the supervisor of the dispatch center, records, animal control, parking enforcement, and school crossing guards.
He was the recipient of the Emporia Jaycees Young Public Protector Award in 1979 and 1987. He organized an annual Bicycle Rodeo sponsored by the Police Department, and took over and expanded the department’s Bicycle Safety School. He also organized and promoted crime prevention programs including Business Watch, Neighborhood Watch, Crime Watch telephone line, and Crime Stoppers. He was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, Emporia Chapter.
In April of 1987, then Attorney General, Robert Steffan appointed him to the Attorney General’s Committee on Crime Prevention. During 1987, Rick was named Police Officer of the Year by the Emporia Police Department. In 1990 he received the Kansas State Crime Stopper Coordinator of the Year Award.
A few months after he retired from the police department, he was hired as Lyon County Emergency Management Coordinator. Later he became a member of the Northeast Kansas Homeland Security Council and was the Logistics Chief for the Northeast Region Incident Management Team. He led training and scenario drills and helped citizens not only in Lyon County, but also state and nationwide.
Cremation has already taken place.
Memorial services will be held at 1:00 P.M., Thursday, November 5, 2015 at William L. White Civic Auditorium in Emporia. The service will be conducted by Pastor Bob Colerick, First Christian Church. Masonic services will be provided by Emporia Masonic Lodge #12, A.F. & A.M. A service will follow at the Patio Garden of Memorial Lawn Cemetery, Emporia. Law Enforcement Honors will be present by the Emporia Police Department Honors Detail.
Memorials have been established with the Humane Society of the Flint Hills, Kansas Law Enforcement Torch Run, First Christian Church, or Lyon County Crime Stoppers. Contributions may be sent in care of Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, PO Box #175, Emporia, Kansas 66801.
Some of the information used in this obituary was compiled in an earlier article by Bobbi Mlynar, and an online editorial by Jeff Cope. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Richard "Rick" Frevert, please visit our flower store.
Rick was born November 8, 1951 in Iola, Kansas, the son of Paul H. and Betty B. (Stout) Frevert. Rick married Joy Hicks at the First Christian Church, Dodge City, Kansas on June 14, 1975.
Surviving family members include his wife, Joy; son, T.J. and his wife, Lea (Schlyer) Frevert, Andover, Kansas; daughter, Bre (Frevert) Johnson, and her husband, Reese, Emporia; four grandchildren, India and Aiden Frevert in Andover, and Jayden and Jared Johnson, Emporia; one sister, Paula (Frevert) Smethers and her husband, Larry, St. Louis, Missouri; one brother, Tim Frevert and wife, Kecia, and their son Ben, Emporia; brothers-in-law, Ward Hicks (Juanita) and their sons, James and Terry Hicks, and George Hicks (Cheryl) and their daughters, Alyssa Robertson and Emily Hicks; as well as nephews, Dave, Brian, and Corey Hicks.
Rick was the oldest of three children and grew up on the Frevert family farm near Yates Center, Kansas. He graduated from Yates Center High School in 1970 and went on to receive an Associate of Justice Degree from Allen County Community College.
He was a member of the First Christian Church (Emporia). He was also a member of Emporia Masonic Lodge #12, Scottish Rite Bodies, the Arab Shriners, and the Cartoon Unit of the Arab Shriners. His other memberships included the Kansas Peace Officers Association, Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police, Neosho Valley Shrine Club, Kansas DARE Officers Association, Kansas Crime Stoppers Association, and he was a graduate of the 20th Class of Leadership Emporia, as well as being a Certified Barbeque Judge of the Kansas City Barbeque Society.
Rick was hired by the Emporia Police Department in 1972 at the age of 21. Before his retirement in 2004, Rick had worked his way through patrol officer to the rank of Lieutenant. He had taken on a number of responsibilities within the Police Department, including school resource officer, community relations officer, DARE Officer (creating the program in Emporia), Crime Stoppers Coordinator, and had also been the supervisor of the dispatch center, records, animal control, parking enforcement, and school crossing guards.
He was the recipient of the Emporia Jaycees Young Public Protector Award in 1979 and 1987. He organized an annual Bicycle Rodeo sponsored by the Police Department, and took over and expanded the department’s Bicycle Safety School. He also organized and promoted crime prevention programs including Business Watch, Neighborhood Watch, Crime Watch telephone line, and Crime Stoppers. He was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, Emporia Chapter.
In April of 1987, then Attorney General, Robert Steffan appointed him to the Attorney General’s Committee on Crime Prevention. During 1987, Rick was named Police Officer of the Year by the Emporia Police Department. In 1990 he received the Kansas State Crime Stopper Coordinator of the Year Award.
A few months after he retired from the police department, he was hired as Lyon County Emergency Management Coordinator. Later he became a member of the Northeast Kansas Homeland Security Council and was the Logistics Chief for the Northeast Region Incident Management Team. He led training and scenario drills and helped citizens not only in Lyon County, but also state and nationwide.
Cremation has already taken place.
Memorial services will be held at 1:00 P.M., Thursday, November 5, 2015 at William L. White Civic Auditorium in Emporia. The service will be conducted by Pastor Bob Colerick, First Christian Church. Masonic services will be provided by Emporia Masonic Lodge #12, A.F. & A.M. A service will follow at the Patio Garden of Memorial Lawn Cemetery, Emporia. Law Enforcement Honors will be present by the Emporia Police Department Honors Detail.
Memorials have been established with the Humane Society of the Flint Hills, Kansas Law Enforcement Torch Run, First Christian Church, or Lyon County Crime Stoppers. Contributions may be sent in care of Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, PO Box #175, Emporia, Kansas 66801.
Some of the information used in this obituary was compiled in an earlier article by Bobbi Mlynar, and an online editorial by Jeff Cope. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Richard "Rick" Frevert, please visit our flower store.
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