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Captain Christian T. “Chris” Ricks, age 65 years, of Jefferson City, Mo., died Monday, August 18, 2014 at the University Hospital, Columbia, Mo.

Chris was born November 12, 1948 in St. Charles, Mo. the son of O’Garlan C. and Kathryn G. Trescott Ricks. He was married on August 4, 1979 in Libertyville, Mo. to Bonnie S. Steinbach.

Chris was a 1966 graduate of Elsberry High School and a 1970 graduate of the University of Missouri at Columbia with a degree in economics. In 1976, he graduated from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Mo. with a M.S. in criminal justice.

Chris joined the Missouri State Highway Patrol on May 1, 1971 and was assigned to Troop C in Jefferson County. From 1973 until 1978 and from 1981 until 1989, he was assigned to the Governor’s Security Detail and moved to Jefferson City during that time. Throughout his remaining years on the Highway Patrol, he worked as the Assistant Division Director of the Personnel Division (1989 – 1994), as the Assistant Division Director of the Training Division (1994 -1998), and as the Director of the Public Information and Education Division (1998 – 2006). Chris was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1983, the rank of Lieutenant in 1988, and the rank of Captain in 2000 until his retirement on August 1, 2006.

From 2006 until 2010, he was a contract consultant for the Missouri Information Analysis Center. He was a contract consultant for the Center for Educational Safety and was an instructor for Northwest University in their Center for Public Safety and a Criminal Justice Instructor at Columbia College.

He was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church and an active member of Wesley United Methodist Church. At the church, he served as camp director and was active in the Missouri East Annual Conference and the Missouri East Walk to Emmaus.

Chris was a member and past president of the Sunrise Optimist Club and Past Lt. Governor of Optimist International. He served on the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Committee and the Board of Directors of Boy’s State. He served on the Executive Board of the Missouri State Troopers Assn. and the American Association of State Troopers. He was a member and past president of the First Financial Credit Union, formerly known as the Jefferson City Highway Credit Union and served on the Jefferson City Police Personnel Board. Chris was also a member of the Jefferson Lodge No. 43, A.F. & A.M.

Chris was an active supporter of Jefferson City Jay Athletics being involved in football and track and was actively involved in Boy Scouts of America attaining the rank of Star and served as an adult leader of Boy Scout Troop 2.

Survivors include: his wife of thirty-five years, Bonnie Ricks; one daughter, Andrea L. Ricks Young of Sedalia, Mo.; one son, Christian T. “Scott” Ricks, II and his fiancée, Beth Rudder of Kansas City, Mo.; one granddaughter, Elizabeth K. Young; his mother, Kathryn Ricks of Elsberry, Mo.; one brother, Allen Ricks of Manchester, Mo.; one sister, Carol Ricks of Jefferson City, Mo.; his mother-in-law, Dorothy Steinbach of Jefferson City, Mo.; his brother-in-law, Tom Lawson of Farmington, Mo.; his sister-in-law, Melba Steinbach of Cape Girardeau, Mo.; one niece, Joy Lawson of Kansas City, Mo.; and one nephew, Dennis Lawson of Farmington, Mo.

He was preceded in death by his father, O’Garlan Ricks; his father-in-law, Oswald Steinbach; his sister-in-law, Diane Lawson; and his brother-in-law, Glenn Steinbach.

Visitation will be at Wesley United Methodist Church from 3:00 until 8:00 p.m. Friday, August 22, 2014 and from 9:00 until 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 23, 2014.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 23, 2014 at Wesley United Methodist Church with the Reverend Thomas Vansant officiating. Interment will be at Riverview Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Wesley United Methodist Church to be used for several of Chris’ favorite charities including camp scholarships through the church, Special Olympics, and the MASTERS Program.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Freeman Mortuary.

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